The Fourth Evil
by Katana-Geldar
Summary: This follows the story of the amazon Talina and the Paladin Geldar on their way to combat the ultimate evil. If you wish to post an additional review please go to the guestbook that is my homepage on my profile
1. Default Chapter

The rain was a monotonous drip on Kashya's shoulders as she left the warmth of the barracks and climbed the stairs to the battlements. The stairs were slick and very slippery, but she managed to hold her footing with well-practised ease. Several of the rogues saluted her as she walked across the stone paving, nodding to them slightly she made her way to Captain Bloodraven, who was sure to give her an accurate report before she retired for the night.

"All is well?" She asked, her fiery red hair coming lose from its headband and sticking to her forehead.

"Quiet as a tomb," Bloodraven answered. "We'll see less of danger as time goes by with Diablo being slain in Tristram."

"Don't chide yourself for not being there," Kashya reminded her. "At least he is gone and we can get on with our lives."

"But what if-"

Bloodraven's remark was interrupted by the rogues suddenly standing at attention and drawing into an attack-ready position. Kashya immediately caught on and walked forward so she could peer down to the grassy lands below.

In the shadows, though almost completely visible, stood a tall dark figure in a long black cloak with a deep hood. Kashya couldn't see his face, though a bright flash of lightning illuminated the landscape, bringing the stranger's feature into focus. Or what could be seen. She saw the face of a man who had seen much hardship and trials, on his brow was a large red mark as if he had a wound there that had not completely healed.

The flash of light also lit up the metal of the sword he carried. Yet he seemed to hold it with little or no strength. Instead of a readied position, it dragged behind him in the clumsiest way.

There was something about him that neither Kashya, nor Bloodraven for that matter, could completely fathom. But whatever it was, it was not desirable.

"Halt, and state your business!" Kashya ordered, and the figure paused.

A dry, rough voice that chilled Kashya to the bone responded: "I am travelling east and seek shelter for the night," then the figure turned and walked towards the gates.

"Should we admit him?" Bloodraven asked in a lower tone. "We violate hospitality if we do not. He comes at our mercy, and it is heartless to turn him out on a night such as this."

"Let him in the gate, but let him go no further," Kashya answered. "I'll talk to Akara about this. There's something about him that don't like."

Bloodraven nodded and gave orders to Sheyla to stay watch and she followed Kashya down the stairs. Neither of them spoke of the matter, its gravity was obvious. It was a welcome relief to enter the shelter of the barracks. Kashya when on to the Inner Cloister, Bloodraven went in the opposite direction to the gates.

She heard him knocking at the door as she approached it and several rogues looked at her as if for a command.

"There's someone there," Xentha said.

"I know," Bloodraven answered. "Kashya's looking into it; she says to let him in but let him go no further than the gates."

The large, heavy, metal, double doors opened slowly but without a sound. In a few moments their eyes adjusted to the light and they saw the stranger, his face turned away for a brief moment. The sword clanged noisily along the paving stones, catching with one and then another as he dragged it along the ground. Then he faced them and all the torches in the corridor burned as bright as they could, filling the room with brilliant orange light. Just as suddenly the flames subsided and returned to what they once were.

"The Order of the Sightless Eye welcomes you traveller," Bloodraven said after a small silence. "If you could wait here, Commander Kashya is confirming your arrival with the head of the order."

He did not respond but looked carefully at Bloodraven, which made her uneasy. She felt compelled to look in the other direction, to see if Kashya was coming with orders that he could stay but something held her gaze. She would rather he be turned away, even on such a night, there was something about him, and something about the wound on his forehead.

"Where are you from?" She asked trying to be sociable. "Have you come a long way, traveller?"

"I've come from the south," he answered, in the same dry rough voice. "From Tristram."

"Tristram?" Bloodraven couldn't resist going further. "I have heard news of the death of Diablo, have you seen at all that hero who did what I tried to do?"

He started to respond but at the mention of the Lord of Terror's name his face changed and twisted and distorted in agony. A flash of green passed over it with an unforgettable sound. All of them gaped; there was something more about this person than any of them had realised.

"There's something about him I don't like," Kashya confessed to Akara. "Yet it wouldn't be desirable to turn him out on such a night."

In the antechamber in the cathedral, Akara sat before a table with a red cloth cover, studying an ancient text that she had dismissed for the moment when Kashya walked in. Kashya's words hung in the air and Akara knew that she needed an answer. It was at this moment that Galena chose to enter, pausing in the doorway when she noticed the interview.

"And you think so?" Akara nodded to her daughter, indicating at was all right to proceed.

"Not only I, but Bloodraven as well," Kashya answered. "You must decide what is best for the Order."

"It requires us to be hospitable to travellers," Akara reminded her. "Whether our first impressions are desirable or not. Let the traveller in, there's room in the barracks I believe as the Guest House is still being repaired."

Kashya nodded and turned to leave but Galena called her back. She had always admired Akara's daughter, and though she considered Akara to be almost her mother, she knew that there were intimacies between them that consisted more of blood ties.

Galena had chosen the path of magic to serve the Sightless Eye while Kashya had chosen the differing one of war. Though they crossed at sometimes, they went in parallel, but different directions.

"There's something amiss in the catacombs beneath the cathedral, Kashya," Galena said walking forward, her long black hair, so like Akara's, framing her face creating a tragic picture. "Charsi was telling me something that she heard from Redbane, but she didn't exactly say what it was."

"I'll ask her when this business is over," Kashya promised, though a peal of thunder in the distance made her change her mind. "In fact, I'll ask her after I help Bloodraven with the traveller, as much as I trust her, I don't like any of my rogues with him for long."

Akara watched silently as Kashya strode proudly from the room, her flaming red hair moving as if it had a will of its own. She is so like her mother, Akara thought as she returned to the text, poor Ayshea, a great shame she never could see her daughter grow.

The conversation abruptly aborted and Bloodraven noticed that the man had drawn into himself, apparently not wanting to talk. His shaking hands held the hilt tightly, as if he was to let go at any moment making another embarrassing noise.

It was a broad sword, Bloodraven recognised the type when Charsi the blacksmith had shown her weapons from the barbarian tribes and the like, the hilt was silver and studded with several tear-shaped rubies as its round head. The weapon was obviously well-used as its edges looked as if they had been re-forged several times, and the blade curved slightly in several places before straightening out.

"The Sisterhood welcomes you traveller," Kashya walked from behind the double doors with a smile on her face, even if it was a little stiff and starched, Bloodraven wanted to express the relief of her burden, instead she said nothing. "The guesthouse isn't desirable, so we're putting you up in the barracks for the night. You'll have your own room of course." Kashya added quickly.

He nodded, or appeared to as Kashya walked off in the lead, beckoning Bloodraven to follow behind. He still gave her that same, uneasy feeling she had since the first encounter. It was extremely hard to shrug off.

He walked slowly and painstakingly slightly in front of her, so slow that she had to check herself a few times so to keep herself behind him. If he was travelling through, chances were that he would leave at first light the next morning, and that would be the last she ever saw of him.

There were several glances from others as they entered the barracks, but Kashya led them towards a far corner of the place that was little used, except for sickrooms in time of battle. Onlookers became few and far between.

"Kashya!" A young rogue named Silverdart called from the other end of the corridor which led to the forge, Kashya looked back as the matter was clearly important. "Charsi said she's finished shafting your bow, but she wants you to test the strength."

"I have to go see to this," Kashya said, half to herself and half to Bloodraven. She nodded to Silverdart indicating she would be along presently. "Just one of the small rooms in the far corner," Kashya explained as she walked away and then turned back to the stranger. "I probably won't see you again after this, I wish you well on your journey."

And once again Bloodraven was left alone with him. She smiled courteously and walked slightly ahead, grabbing a lantern from the wall and holding it in front of her. It created a small halo of light that radiated and flickered. When at last she came to the room Kashya had specified, turning the key in the lock the door swung open with a resounding creak. He followed her inside as she placed the lamp on a table usually used for dressing wounds, but she needn't tell him that.

His motion was slow and deliberate, _and very weak_ she added in thought, but she had no more time to think on this as he sat down on the cot-bed, his sword falling to the floor with an obvious clatter. He looked to her silently, indicating he wanted privacy and she stole out of the room without a word, relieved to be no longer in his presence.

She caught up with Kashya at the forges, she was talking animatedly to Charsi, while carefully stringing the yew limb with its silver shafted ends. Charsi wiped her hands, black with soot and grime, on her leather apron and looked up and smiled when she entered.

"Well you look as if you had to confront something you'd rather not," Charsi said with a smile. "I was going to say the same thing to Kashya, but she hid it better in her face."

"I didn't hide anything," Kashya replied, plucking the bowstring with practiced ease. "But it's that traveller who called at the door half an hour ago, there's something about him.... I don't know." Kashya shook her head and unstrung the bow. "How much do I owe you?"

"A favour," Charsi smiled. "Payable at any time in the near future."

"Done," agreed Kashya, taking the bow underneath her arm and walking off with Bloodraven.

"If you don't need me," Bloodraven said as the neared the stairs to the battlements. "I'll go back on duty until it's my time. I don't think we'll get anymore unexpected guests tonight."

"I'll see you in the morning then," Kashya answered. "I'll return this with my other battle gear and then I have to go to speak with Redbane about something she saw in the catacombs."

"You have a busy night," Bloodraven observed.

"Is any other night different?" Kashya said with a smile.

The two friends exchanged a glance which lasted a brief moment before parting. The younger by a few years, Bloodraven had grown under Kashya's tutelage to be trusted at many levels of the Order. She was a fine leader and a worthy warrior, one of the best of the Sisterhood, outclassed only a by a few, one of whom was Kashya herself.

Yet Bloodraven bettered Kashya on a few points of character, she was patient where Kashya often was not, she was cautious where Kashya was sometimes brash, and she was empathetic where Kashya rarely trusted anyone outside the Order, especially outlanders.

It was nearing midnight when Kashya found Redbane in the cathedral and went down to the catacombs with her. What she had discovered was on the fourth level, the lowest part of the Monastery, and, oddly enough, the warmest.

"I hadn't seen this before," Redbane confessed as they walked through the doorway and into the centre of the room. "I swear by the Eye that it wasn't there yesterday, it seemed to have happened in the last few hours."

In the centre of the large room was a hole in the paving, small enough not to be a danger but obvious enough to catch some attention. Kashya stared at it for a few minutes, and was about to dismiss it when she saw how deep it went into the stonework, and the glowing red light to where it led.

"It smells like brimstone," Kashya observed, wrinkling her nose. "Let's peel this away; there could be a secret chamber we never discovered."

The stone came away easily, to their surprise, they soon a hole large enough to see clearly what was down there. There wasn't much to see, only a rough, rock-hewn floor that reflected some of the red light, this came from a source somewhere in the distance. Kashya was well and truly stumped by this.

"Have you talked to Akara?" Kashya asked.

"First thing I did," Redbane replied. "She's looking at it now in the ancient texts, but she said you might know something."

"Galena said you heard this from Charsi," Kashya said reproachfully.

"Word gets around," Redbane said with a shrug.

"I'd like to pursue this tunnel to the end," Kashya confessed. "But in daylight, we'll look into this in the morning."

Several hours later, when the Monastery was silent, the door in the barracks opened and the dark cloaked figure strode out and walked in a direction with a clear purpose in mind. Unseen, he walked through the cathedral and down the stairs to the catacombs.

All this time there was a battle within himself that had been going without pause for a while. With all his strength of will, he pushed the evil that inhabited his body into an unbidden corner, that kept it there for a while, but it kept coming back, and much stronger. Sometimes his mind dwindled on the thoughts of giving in, knowing it was useless to resist. But those thoughts never went for long as they knew they were not his own.

His sword scraped against the stone steps as he descended into the odious warmth of the lowest level. As he neared the hole in the centre the red light seemed to grow brighter, until it flooded the room with a brilliant but repulsive glow. Then the paving seemed to give way, he took several steps back and poison green clouds gathered from the large, gaping hole. An inhumane sound echoed through out the Monastery. He smiled.

The noise woke Kashya from a deep sleep, hearing it again she was convinced and sprung out of bed, grabbing for her bow and a quiver of arrows. Securing her mail corselet, she ran down to the catacombs, half suspecting what she would find.

Nothing could have prepared her for what she was about to face. Before her, with a flame of tangled red hair, rakish claws and a ferocious cry stood a demoness. This had to be the Andariel she had heard about in old Horadric myths, ones she had dismissed as old tales, now the Maiden of Anguish stood before her in the flesh, and approached her with great speed.

Quickly, she shot an arrow in the direction of her bare chest, but this was only slashed in half with a wave of Andariel's claws. She advanced quickly, forcing Kashya to give up her attacking position. Again and again she fired most of the arrows falling short of the mark yet some landed in her arms and legs, which only added to her fury.

When she came back to the stairs, and had now no where to go but up, she was reluctant to give ground. But Andariel suddenly forced to make that decision by swiping at her with such speed that her death would have been written on those claws if she had not moved in time.

Standing at the top of the stairs, quickly considering her options, she heard footsteps behind her. Someone else was in the passage, or rather, more than some_one_, a group of people moved towards her from around the corner. In the darkness she could only make out the tops of their heads, but as they moved closer she could make out there faces, and names.

In the lead were Bloodraven and Redbane, looking straight forward though their eyes not focusing on anything. Behind them were many, many rogues, all with the same blank look on their faces.

"Bloodraven!" Kashya called. "Thank the Great Eye you heard! We must destroy Andariel together before something happens!"

But Bloodraven either could not, or would not, listen to her. She passed her by without a second glance, walking down the stairs in silent motion. Redbane was the same, as were the many others who followed them that seemed to have no end.

"What is this?" she asked to no one in particular. "Come back!" She called to them but she might as well have talked to the wind.

She managed to push her way through the crowd and up the stairs to the cathedral. But the crowd did not thin; all had the same blank, almost zombie, like stare.

"Kashya!" A voice echoed across the silent cathedral, it was Charsi. "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

"It's Andariel!" Kashya replied, coming across the cathedral and even jumping from pew to pew as this was the fastest route. "The demoness is in the catacombs and she's corrupted most of our sisters."

"By the Eye, Akara, Galena!" Charsi ran back towards the antechamber frantically.

"Charsi!" Kashya was on her heels. "Don't go in if it's too late! You'll be taken too!"

But Charsi didn't listen, throwing open the door she rushed in with Kashya close behind her. It was then that they both stopped.

"You are just in time," Galena stepped out of the shadows.

She was a ghastly picture, her face was as white as salt, white as chalk which contrasted harshly with her dark hair. She wore her usual white robe, but this was stained at the breast with blood. But her eyes, Kashya could hardly bring herself to look at them, were an evil red. Behind her was Akara, tied to a tall stone pillar almost cruelly. Galena held a long dagger to her mother's throat which seemed to show her purpose.

"You are too weak to contest against Andariel," Galena said in a voice not of her own. "Throw down your weapons or I'll kill this transgressor."

"She's not a-"

"Just do it!" Galena barked sending Charsi into silence.

Charsi threw down the short sword she had grabbed in haste and waited for Kashya to throw down her bow, she didn't. The dagger crept closer to Akara's throat and Charsi looked impatiently at Kashya, waiting for her to lower her weapon.

"You're not going to kill her," Kashya said, her eyes smarting and meeting with Galena's.

"Do you take me for a fool?" Galena said.

"No," Kashya said, and Galena's venomous look subsided. "I take you as a tortured, corrupted soul without a glimmer of compassion."

"Fine then," Galena said and raising the dagger.

But Kashya was too quick for her. There was a sharp 'twang' and Kashya's arrow flew with the speed of an angry hornet to its mark. Right on target, it hit the dagger making it fall noisily to the floor and stinging Galena on the hand. She winced and then turned to Kashya with almost demonic ferocity. But again, Kashya was too quick, land one arrow in her leg, another in her shoulder.

As she drew back the arrow to make the killing blow she closed her eyes and prayed that Galena's tortured soul would be saved, if not else condemned so it could not haunt the world. The arrow landed deep in her throat, she stumbled and screamed and fell before she was even close.

"I wish I never had to do it," Kashya said in a soft voice as Galena's spirit left her body in a green apparition. "But what is done is done, I hope you can forgive me."

Akara put a comforting hand to her shoulder and they shared a silent moment before Kashya turned away and they all went out the door.

Several rogues, a few dozen had not been corrupted followed them out of the Monastery. Silverdart led them until she surrendered to Kashya. As they ran through the Outer Cloister and towards the gates other beasts of demonic qualities appeared, several times they had to stop to kill them so they could pass through.

But when the doors were opened and they went out into the fresh hours of the morning Akara turned back, looking up at the tall spires of their abandoned Monastery.

"It pains me to think we are leaving our ancestral home," she said in a sad whisper.

"We'll get it back," Kashya promised. "You have my word."

Kashya's word was as true and genuine as gold.

Far away from the Monastery, atop a ridge the one who had done all this watched his handiwork, admiring and regretting it at the same time. He then hardened his heart and proceeded through the mountains with a slow and weak gait, dragging his sword behind him in an undesirable way. His quest lay east, and was one he fought against all the time.

"What is this?" Warriv, a merchant on the way to Lut Gholein had noticed the remnants of the order in a make-shift camp far from their Monastery. He was brought before Akara. "I was planning on seeing you this evening before I went through the pass."

"Well circumstances have brought our meeting earlier," Akara replied. "But I am afraid that you cannot progress east with your companion. Our Monastery has been corrupted by demonic forces; the pass can no longer be accessed."

"I've sent rogues to the Monastery," Kashya announced, putting in her opinions. "But I have not seen them since. I would rather not dwell on their fate."

"This evil has a tighter stranglehold than anyone could have imagined," Akara said.

"Then we'll just have to wait," Warriv said optimistically.

"Wait?" Kashya couldn't believe the notions of this outlander, did he have any sense? "For Heaven's sake, what for?"

"Word is bound to get out of this," Warriv replied. "Just wait, sooner or later someone is going to come."


	2. Act I Chapter I

His palliasse was empty, the fabric was torn back revealing the damp straw, the blanket was askew and the table was on its side, the lamp in a pile of oil, long since extinguished.

"He's gone," Geldar said to himself, unable to believe it. "It was stranger, I never did trust him."

"Master Paladin?" The innkeeper's boy servant poked his head in the door. "Would you like me to bring up breakfast for you and Master Sinclair? You said to call at dawn, but seeing you're up-"

"Boy, tell me," Geldar said, with a hint of steel in his voice. "Did you see _anyone_ leaving here at odd hours last night?"

"I can't tell you that," he replied, his voice trembling a little. "Barb was out late last night, you'll have to ask him Master Paladin."

"Bring him here," Geldar ordered.

"Shall I bring up breakfast as well," he asked.

"No, that will be all," Geldar replied, closing the door on him firmly.

He sat down on the cot and stared into space, recalling the events of the previous night. He and Sinclair, his nephew and his squire, had dined in the main room, aiming to retire early. That was when the stranger approached them, sitting next to them uninvited, a deep black hood over their face, hiding gleaming eyes that could be seen now and again in the dim light of the room.

"It's not often that you're seen in these parts," said the stranger, with a rasping voice that chilled the spine. "Westmarch is not usually home to that of the Zakarum. What is your business here?"

"Our business is our own," Geldar said in a tone the conversation was over. "Come Sinclair, it's time we retired, we have an early start."

"Going so early?" the stranger pressed. "And Sinclair, such a fine name for a boy."

Sinclair was about to respond but Geldar nudged him to silence. He knew this person could not be trusted, and also knew he had to get rid of him, and _quickly_.

"Could I spare you a few moments?" The stranger asked. "There is something I think you should know."

"I'm not interested," Geldar replied.

"It's about the Zakarum," the stranger persisted.

"What is it you wanted to say?" Geldar said, he was interested but on his guard.

"It would be better if we went up to your room," the stranger said. "I don't like to discuss it here."

"Your room," Geldar replied.

"I'm not staying here," the stranger said. "It won't take long to tell."

"Very well then," Geldar said reluctantly. "I'll lead the way, and no more than ten minutes."

"What ever you say," the stranger agreed.

On the threshold of his room, Geldar turned around and noticed the stranger was a behind them a little way. He pulled Sinclair closed and whispered in his ear.

"Stay out here," he said quickly. "Come in when he's gone."

Sinclair went down the corridor as the stranger approached, he still couldn't see his face save his eyes. He gestured towards the door and they both went inside, trying to be civil he offered a chair, the stranger sat down but Geldar didn't. He stood over him, waiting for him to speak.

"Well?" Geldar said after a long pause.

"This is the Staff of Enova," he said, reaching into his cloak and getting out a long staff made of mitral with a single diamond at its head. "It was taken from Baritone, a lieutenant under the Archangel Tyrell."

The stranger held out the staff to him, near his hand but Geldar didn't accept it. He waited for the stranger to continue.

"It holds the Stone of Enter," he said. "It was taken from the World stone Chamber."

"By Baritone?" Geldar asked and the stranger nodded. "You expect me to accept this object of betrayal?"

"You know the state of the Zakarum don't you?" the stranger asked. "If you went back to Kurast you would find it very different indeed from when you left it. I want you to join me," he said quickly. "Together we'll destroy the Zakarum and restore it to the glory that it was."

"Why should I trust you?" Geldar said. "How do I know you may be a fiend in disguise or in service of them? And why would I betray the very order that I dedicated my life to?"

"Then your life has been a waste, Master Paladin," the stranger said mournfully. "Join me in wielding this; we will set things to rights."

"How do I know that is all you will do?" Geldar asked. "Be gone from my sight! It wouldn't surprise me in the least if you are a traitor just as Baritone was. Go hence, trouble me no more."

Slowly, the stranger replaced the staff into his cloak and stood up, even more slowly. He went through the door that Geldar had opened, but turned back to say a parting remark.

"You will regret this, Paladin," he said in a slow and menacing tone. "I speak the truth, the Zakarum are no more servants of the light."

His hand disappeared into his cloak again and brought out the staff. Slowly, but surely, the staff turned to dust before his eyes until there was a small pile on the floor.

"This won't be the last you see of me," he promised.

And with that he turned and went down the corridor, Geldar stood in the doorway for a moment and then looked out in the direction he had left. He was gone, not a trace remained.

"Uncle, what was that all about?" Sinclair asked as he took off his surcoat and leather jerkin.

"Nothing," he replied, knowing that what he heard was not for his squire's ears. "It was only an addled man who had too much ale. Nothing to trouble you about."

"I thought he would have known about my father," Sinclair said, looking out the window to the moonlit night. "Whenever I see a traveller, I hope for news of him."

"Sinclair, how can I tell you this?" His voice concealed a slight tremble as he sat the boy down on his cot. "He's dead Sinclair, he perished in the labyrinth months ago like all the others that went to challenge the evil that took Tristram."

"He isn't," Sinclair insisted. "I just know, he isn't like one of the others down there, he must have gotten out alive."

"If he had he would have come back here," Geldar said. "I knew your father well as I know myself. There is a bond between us not broken easily, but I know he's gone. Trust that, there's nothing you can do."

"Nothing?" Sinclair voice ran slight treble.

"The best you can do is pray," Geldar said. "Pray for his soul. Pray that it doesn't descend into hell as all the others did that went to slay the evil."

"I pray for my mother," Sinclair said. "I pray that she is she is safe in the west in Kurast, where we left her. I know that my father is alive."

"To bed," Geldar ordered, taking his hand off the Sinclair's shoulder and starting to his feet. "We rise in the morning with the dawn, and you are not getting five minutes more sleep."

"Master Paladin?"

Geldar looked up suddenly and saw Barb standing timidly in the doorway, looking precariously out of his dark ringed eyes. Geldar stood up and closed the door behind him as he came in, standing in front of the door expectantly.

"Did you see anything last night?" he asked, his eyes searching Barb's face for truths. "At odd hours this morning, did anyone leave?"

"I was in the backroom with the malt," Barb explained. "But I did hear the front door unbolt at about three and not much later heard a horse walk towards the inn."

"Did you see anything?" Geldar whispered.

"I went to the window and I saw a figure in a black cloak with two other slumped figures I couldn't see," Barb answered. "They were carrying something."

"What were they carrying?" Geldar demanded.

"I don't know, I couldn't see it," Bard answered fearfully. "It was long and wrapped in a black cloth and they tied it over the back of a horse. The figure in black mounted the horse and rode off."

"Which way?" Geldar asked.

"Up the road," Barb answered. "North I think, but there's someone you can ask. I know they were awake at that time."

"Tell me," Geldar ordered.

"Holkin," Barb answered. "He lives on the edge of town, hasn't slept since the evil took Tristram."

But Geldar was out the door and down the hall before Barb had finished talking.

"Get my things ready," he called as he ran down the stairs. "I'll be leaving as soon as I get back."

Barb shrugged and began to gather the clothes scattered around the room. Some people he just couldn't understand.


	3. Chapter II

The sun was visible when Geldar knocked on the door Holkin the Prophet; he had to ask several people for directions, as Barb's description wasn't exactly accurate. He had to go up several flights of stairs to a tower that overlooked the city. There, at the balcony was an old man with a long flowing white beard.

"Are you who they call Holkin?" he asked.

"That I am," he answered without turning.

"I want to know if you saw anyone leave town last night," he asked, Holkin still didn't turn. "It's very important."

"People come and go all the time," Holkin said, still not turning. "Especially at night when events are afoot."

"It was very early this morning," Geldar explained patiently. "It was a dark cloaked figure on a horse; he had a large bundle on the back."

"Yes, yes, I now what you are talking about," he suddenly turned and looked at Geldar.

Geldar gaped, he tried to hide his astonishment but it was too late. Holkin had a gaunt and long face, his eyes had dark rings around them and were sunken in and were without a gleam or flicker. Barb had told him he hadn't slept for months, he found this not surprising.

"You seek Sinclair?" Holkin asked, taking a few steps and leaning on a tall, straight staff. "Beware, Paladin Geldar, these beings you seek are not what you think they are to be."

"Sinclair is like a son to me," Geldar said. "I have to find him, even if I have to search Sanctuary and both realms."

"The stranger you have seen headed north with the boy," Holkin said. "Once he reaches Khanduras I know not whither then."

"He could head east," Geldar said.

"And he could head north," Holkin said. "Speed is your ally, seek this stranger, and mark all that you find."

With that he turned his back on Geldar and returned to his seat on the balcony, Geldar was still standing there. Then he turned and went out the door, hastening to the inn where his horse was waiting.

It was there and waiting when he arrived, giving the board to Barb, with some extra gold for his troubles, he took the reins and led the horse off. Kathos was a sturdy steed, foaled in the northern ranges of Arreat where the barbarian tribes roamed. By chance Geldar had come across him one stormy night when his horse was shot from under him by a pack of skeleton archers. Ever since, their pairing had been one of trust and respect.

It was only when he came clear of the gates that Geldar mounted and urged Kathos to a gallop. Keeping to the road for a guide he hastened north, as Holkin had said, speed was his ally.

"I don't accept travellers in your guise," said the cautious innkeeper. "Not on my life I don't. Not with all the comings and going of vermin here."

"I'll pay you twice the board," Geldar promised, the rain snaking under his hauberk and down his neck. "And I'll give you my blessing from the Zakarum. But pity my poor horse, he has run from Duncraig on a full gallop since yesterday. Give him a warm stable and a hot mash and I will be content."

"Come in, come in," he said, and called for the horse to be taken care of. "But none of your blessings I'll have, mind you. I have a long passing against your kind."

Geldar had a hot meal alone at the bar, ignoring the pleas to have ale or share in his travels. He only asked if a dark cloaked rider had been seen recently, but many told him no.

Geldar began to worry, perhaps he had come too far north; they must have turned east. Ignoring the pleas to stay, he went up stairs to his room and sunk into a deep, dreamless sleep.

But someone had seen Geldar's aloofness and reserve with the rest in the bar; they had also observed his questions and response to the answers given. Pulling the dark hood over their face, they hastened upstairs, knowing it was fitting that they should meet.

Geldar suddenly awoke when he heard the lock release and the door handle turn. But he didn't rise or even open his eyes until he heard whoever it was enter the room and stand over him.

Then he sprung, clutching a dagger he kept under his pillow for this purpose, he lunged at his attacker, grabbing the throat and pinning them too the floor.

"Release me!" they ordered but Geldar ignored this.

He pushed the dagger home, but instead stabbed at the floorboards. He was now on the floor and the intruder was again standing over him. Geldar couldn't believe this, but before he had time to ponder over it there came a sharp kick in the ribs.

"Get up," came the command.

He started quickly to his feet and noted that the person opposite him was wearing a long black cloak with a deep hood that hid the face. This couldn't be the stranger that had approached him last night, he would have been approached in a different manner, and sooner. But this time he was not going to be fooled by disguise.

"Show me your face," he demanded. "Tell me who you are and whence you come. And why you have approached me thus."

"I suppose I should have spoken to you in the bar, but this seemed more discreet," they threw back the hood revealing the fine-boned features of a young woman, an attractive young woman Geldar noted. Her fair hair was braided at the back of her head and her piercing blue eyes were like beacons, watching his every emotion. This girl was not to be trifled with. "My tame is Talina," she said in a low voice. "I'm an Amazon from the island of Philios in the Twin Seas and I can give you answers on what you seek."

"An Amazon?" Geldar raised an eyebrow. "I haven't seen any of your kind here for a long, long time. Aren't you usually in the east around Aranoch and Kehjistan?"

"Mostly as my people have little to do with those in the west," Talina answered. "The Grand Mistress Ornatha, High Priestess of Athulua sent me on a quest that is no business of yours presently. But you must come with me now, haste is necessary and my quest is tied to yours."

"You know the cloaked rider I seek with my squire Sinclair?" Geldar asked and Talina nodded. "Have you heard or seen anything."

"He did not stop here," Talina answered bluntly. "He continued north. However, you would not find many in this place to give you an answer even if he was seen."

"I will be ready in a moment," Geldar said. "I'm Geldar, a Paladin of the Zakarum dedicated to purging the evil from Sanctuary."

"I know that too," Talina said acidly as she walked towards the door. "I will be waiting for you in the yard. Your horse will be ready; I know which one to prepare."

In half an hour they were on the road in the pouring rain, continuing north at a rapid pace. It was cold with the wind blowing the rain directly onto Geldar's face, he thanked dearly that Kathos knew the way. But no matter how high he pulled his cloak around his neck, he could not stop the rain dribbling down his neck like fingers of ice. The weather was bad enough, but this was worse.

The light from his aura was enough to see a few feet in front of him; the rest was a boundless blackness of rain. Then something, he did not know exactly what caused him to think of his brother. Lemnar, a Paladin like himself until he returned from the east changed in mind and soul. He had cast aside his orders to the Zakarum, fighting for what he truly believed was right and worthy.

His parting to slay the evil that betook Tristram was no small surprise, leaving his son in his care he left them quietly on a rainy night not so dissimilar to this. Unlike Sinclair, he did not believe that Lemnar was lost in the labyrinth, or the eternal slave of a demon army. There was a certain day when he felt his brother's spirit leave Sanctuary and enter another realm, though he could not be sure which.

Presently, the rain stopped as dawn neared, and when the first pink fingers began to touch the horizon the stopped at the side of the road and let their horse graze. Geldar removed his cloak, or rather peeled it off as the wet material clung to him like a second skin.

Wringing out the water and draping it over a tree branch to dry, he then noticed a small slight smell of smoke that consequently grew and was enveloped in a sweet smell he couldn't identify. He turned and saw Talina burning a few aromatic leaves over a small flame, murmuring words in a tongue he could not understand and raising her eyes skyward.

"What are you doing?" Geldar asked but Talina silenced him with a wave of her hand. "The smoke can been seen from a far way off." He added for good measure.

But his protests were ignored, either that or Talina didn't hear him at all. He watched her for a few minutes that turned away, reaching for his scabbard and realising it was not there. Muttering a few unhealthy words he went to his horse as he sometimes stowed it in the saddlebags. It wasn't there, and then he remembered he had left it under his bed at the inn and shouted a curse for all who cared to hear.

"What causes you to shout such uncouth words?" Talina said from behind him.

"I forgot my sword," Geldar said and noticed the look on her face. "No, I have a spare that I keep in a sheath on the saddle. But my best one I left at the inn."

"We'll there's nothing you can do about that now," Talina scolded. "Come on, we'd best be off, I want to get as near Tristram as I can before sundown."

"Tristram!" Geldar spat the word out and turned to Talina in surprise. "Are you serious? It's not the quiet hamlet it used to be or so I've heard. Going there is going into a den of evil."

"There are more 'dens of evil', Paladin Geldar, in Sanctuary than you realise," Talina had an uncanny act of stating Geldar's name as if it was an insult. "My mandate requests that I go there or die in the attempt."

"What exactly is your mandate?" Geldar asked. "You know my errand tell me yours. I won't stray another step until you answer me."

Talina had been reining in her horse and sighed and turned to Geldar as if it was an effort to do so. She had had enough of the nature of men away from her homeland, especially in the west.

"My mandate states that I must rescue Deckard Cain," Talina said. "My people are in more knowledge of these times than you are. He is the last descendant of the Horadrim, a vital part in the tapestry of the Sin War that is finally being revealed."

"That's suicide!" Geldar said. "You're going straight into the mouth of that evil, alone."

"Not alone," Talina said. "You will be with me."

"Me?!" Geldar couldn't believe this.

"I am willing to help you," Talina said in an acrid tone. "The least you could do is assist me with my quest. And aren't the Zakarum dedicated to protecting the innocent and eradicating Sanctuary of evil?"

"Yes," Geldar said, swallowing hard. "But I have been to Tristram myself and you cannot get there easily. The fields surrounding the village swarm with demons. And even if you pass them you are stopped by a high stone wall. You cannot approach Tristram from the outside; there is another way that I have heard in passing."

"Tell me," Talina ordered.

"The Sisters of the Sightless Eye know it," Geldar explained.

"Then we will go there," Talina answered. "Their Monastery isn't far from here is we hurry."

"Tell me it is what you know of the cloaked rider," Geldar ordered. "You said you had answers."

Talina sighed; she was not going to get anywhere if the two of them continued arguing. It was best for both of them if they set out on the right foot.

"I know not much but for the facts that I told you," Talina answered. "And what you already know. You were right not to trust him; he's a henchman of the legions of Hell. Just whom he serves remains to be seen."

"That fire," Geldar said looking over to the blackened grass. "That was-"

"Thanks to Athulua," Talina interrupted. "She's the goddess of the weather and the seasons. Not everyone has converted to your Church of Light."

There was a moment of silence, and then Geldar turned back to the tree and put on his dry cloak. Talina secured her spear on its support at the side of the saddle and mounted her horse. Within a few minutes they were off down the road.


	4. Chapter III

To avoid Tristram completely they had to take an alternate route through the marshy land of the Shadow Woods. Talina almost felt at home in these woods, if it wasn't for the giant spiders and demons and skeletons on every corner.

"I've cast Inner Sight so we can see them," Talina said as she readied her spear and shield. "You can't see around the next corner in these woods, that's how I like it."

"Like it?" Geldar said incredulously, slapping at a bug that had crawled onto his face. "I don't like it at all. For the same reasons you like it."

"It's like the forests on Philios," Talina replied. "It's how we learned to focus on the inner life forces in every being."

"Life forces?" Geldar asked with a start. "So you can read mine, for example?"

"Yes," Talina said without hesitation. "It tells me you're troubled and there's more in what you know than you think."

"Thanks," Geldar said sarcastically.

"Pleasure," returned Talina with a smile.

The next day that had to cross the wild Sauna River in the dead of night, it was in full flood and rain was pouring down relentlessly. Geldar covered his horse's face with his soaking wet cloak, wondering what the purpose of such a garment was if it didn't keep out the rain.

He was on the other side when he noticed Talina was having trouble. She had not taken the liberty of covering her horse's face and the animal crossed the water with some hesitation. When they hit a rock, both of them went down and began to be dragged by the fast moving current. Or would have, if Geldar hadn't been there with such a quickness that startled Talina.

With a hand of light, he comforted the animal and helped Talina bring him to the riverbank. There were several moments when she was staring at him while he busied himself removing his wet cloak and wringing out the water. A few moments passed and she still didn't say anything.  
"What?" he stared at her blankly, but she smiled and shaking her head she turned away.

"Nothing," she said.

Geldar watched her with a sly grin for a few moments before leading off his horse, waiting until she had caught up with him before continuing down the road.

They made it clear of the forest at the beginning of the second day and the township of Haldane was behind them on the third. But as they walked across the knee-high grass in the plains in an attempt to avoid the loop that the road followed that Geldar stopped, something was very wrong.

"What is it?" Talina asked, by this time she had known him well enough not to underestimate his presentments.

"Can't you sense it?" Geldar asked, looking at her carefully. "You said you could feel life forces."

"I can't feel anything...just a moment," Talina's eyes went far away as she focused on within. "Yes, there is something." She looked around some more. "Yes, there are brigands approaching, first I've seen for a while."

Geldar shielded his eyes with his hand and gazed the where Talina indicated while getting his sword ready. Talina already had a javelin ready to make the necessary negotiations. Then something else caught his eye and he looked again.

"They're not brigands!" Geldar said suddenly. "They're rogues!"

"There's too many of them to be rogues!" Talina countered.

"I have a very bad feeling about this," Geldar said nervously.

"We'll have to go around them," Talina said quickly reining her horse in. "Through those woods we can cut them off."

"Not unless they cut us off from the other side..." he then caught Talina's eye and said nothing else.

There wasn't much time to react, before either of they could speak several arrows flew from the gathered group. Dodging a few, Geldar managed to catch one in his shield.

"It looks like rogues," he said taking the arrow out. "But I don't like these cuts on the side. I don't know what it is."

There wasn't time for an answer; they were upon them with speed Geldar thought was almost maniac or demonic. Hewing right and left he tried to clear a pass through them, Talina was close behind him, having thrown several javelins already.

"Get ahead!" She called. "We can't possibly get them in these numbers! I need to get a clear shot."

Geldar only nodded and revived his thorns aura, through this he was able to concentrate on one thing, getting past the rogues. Nothing about this made sense; they were usually friendly if suspicious. Could this be the work of the cloaked stranger?

In an instant Kathos was killed from under him and Geldar was forced to fight on foot. Concentrating he was able to zealously kill several in a matter of second, then he heard Talina yell as she impaled four rogues with one javelin, a few seconds later she was beside him.

"Get up behind me," she said breathlessly.

Looking behind him, Geldar paid Kathos a final farewell. Though he missed his faithful company it seemed sort of fitting that he died this way.

Though there was the extra weight, they soon lost what remained of them. Talina steered her horse in no apparent direction other than east. She appeared to be as confused as she was.

"I don't understand," Geldar said. "But there is one thing; this is the work of a great evil."

"A Prime Evil?" Talina asked.

"Could be," Geldar replied. "It could be a lesser evil just as likely. Those are tortured souls, you saw from the spirits that left their bodies. I don't like this at all."

"Where there's one, there's another," Talina said and Geldar agreed.

Outside her tent in the encampment, Akara rubbed her forehead and meditated as best as she could. Despite their safety she had to admit this wasn't to compare with the secludedness she had in the monastery. That and... She shook her head; thinking about such things would only make the pain stronger. In time, she knew it would get better, but not now.

Kashya leaned against the caravan making pathetic conversation with Gheed, he was a greedy and tight-fisted type, but he was better company than her conscience. Charsi liked him, but then Charsi could be naïve at times.

"So then I said to him: 'You're going to pay for that aren't you?" Gheed's face was animated as he recounted his exaggerated tale. "He said 'Not now, when I get the money.' So I took one of those spears off the wall, held it towards him and told him: 'Pay or you'll get the wrong end of this.' So he put it down casual-like and went on his way. I get them all the time."

"So you say," Kashya replied, guessing that Gheed wouldn't know which end of a spear to hold, let alone how to use one.

"I get those types all the time," he said, his eyes were half-shut, a sign that Kashya knew as danger. "Lut Gholein, Kingsport. They're all out there, everywhere."

Kashya only half-listened to the conversation, nodding at intervals and mumbling at regular times. He eyes drifted over to the other side of the camp, where Akara paced back and forward out side her tent. I should be with her, she thought, but it's more her pain than mine.

"Commander!" Kashya's head whipped around when she saw Silverdart "There are some people coming towards here from the west."

"Do we want to see them?" Kashya and Silverdart made their way to the central campfire where Warriv was warming himself. "They aren't like those that we had before?"

Silverdart shook her head. "From Xentha's description it looks like an Amazon and a Paladin," she ventured slowly here, unsure if she was right to pass judgement. "She's holding them at the walls; I thought you might want to decide."

"A Paladin did you say?" Kashya asked. "Aren't they of the Church of Light that was corrupted by Mephisto?" She thought for a few moments and then turned back. "Send them on; we don't want that type here."

"But the Amazon-"

"I said send them on!" Kashya snapped, turning away when she felt there were tears welling in here eyes.

"If I may," Warriv came forward, the ever-helpful smile on his face.

"What?" Kashya fumed.

"You may have been misinformed about the Church of Light," Warriv said. "True, it has corrupted, you've seen it yourself. But there are some Paladins who've turned against this, fighting for what is right and just."

"And you say that this may be one of them?" Kashya looked at him carefully.

"I would put my life as well as my faith in a Paladin when I travel with my caravan," Warriv replied. "This may have been just what we've been waiting for."

Kashya considered this for a few seconds before turning back to Silverdart, the poor girl was shifting from foot to foot unsure what to do.

"Let them have passage," Kashya said reluctantly.

Silverdart nodded before carrying out the order.

"So you say all the rogues were corrupted?" Talina asked, she shook her head at the response. "It looks like my quest is longer than I thought."

"You're quest might be clear," Geldar countered. "But I only have a few leads, sightings. I have to find Sinclair."

"There's Silverdart now," Xentha said. "I'm sorry but you must understand why we have to be so cautious, with all do respect."

"We've always been cautious on Philios," Talina replied. "It's not new to me at all."  
"The Order welcomes you," Silverdart said coming up with a warm, board smile knowing Kashya would be less than civil. "I'd like to say you're a sight for sore eyes, but we've seen plenty like you since the troubled times."

"Many?" Geldar asked, then he shook his head. "Well its Tristram all over again, word gets around. People are bound to come."

She led them along the winding road towards the river. Talina led her horse behind while Geldar walked beside her. The rogue camp wasn't that far away, uts palisade could be made out without difficulty. And it definitely wasn't sleeping.

"You're an Amazon, aren't you?" Silverdart asked Talina. "I've only heard tales about your kind in the east. It's pleasing to have women fighting; you're the first to face Andariel after Kashya stopped sending us."

"Sorry, did you say Andariel?" Geldar asked before Talina could respond. "She's the one who's taken the Monastery?"

Silverdart nodded, but it was apparent she didn't want to talk about it. The memory was too fresh in her mind just then.

"You haven't, by chance, seen a dark cloaked man on a horse pass through here?" Geldar asked. "He kidnapped my squire about three days ago and from what I fathom, he'd be travelling this way."

"I haven't seen anything," Silverdart said coldly. "But others may have, you'll have to ask Kashya, she commands the rogues in battle and has intelligence in places."

"I have a mandate from my people," Talina said after a pause. "We've seen this plight long before it came to be and we've been ready for it since."

"Wait until we get there," Geldar said quickly. "You can explain yourself then."

Talina bit back the hot words she was about to say and scowled at him instead. She hated to admit it, but he was right.


	5. Chapter IV

Warriv made a point of coming away from his caravan to see them cross the river and walk I into the encampment. It was just as he had thought it would be, the Paladin walk with such ease and self awareness, but the rogues looked down on him. They looked in awe of the Amazon though, some made motions to move towards her but didn't get any further. He shook his head with a wry smile; some things were to be expected.

"Well met, Noble Paladin," he said coming forward with his smile ready. "I suppose you have heard of the troubles that have been at work here."

"Just now," Geldar answered. "You're Warriv aren't you? Silverdart was telling me."

"That I am," he answered. "I know you can soon set things to rights."

Talina snorted but Geldar ignored her, it had been a while since he had seen such faith in the west. He didn't care, at least for that moment, what Talina thought. She nudged him and when he didn't respond she walked off in anger towards a tall red haired woman wearing mail. Geldar turned his back for the moment, let her be.

"To tell the truth, I'm looking for my squire Sinclair," Geldar answered, knowing at once he could be frank with him. "He was kidnapped about three nights ago by a dark cloaked rider, do you know anything."

"I don't know anything about a rider in a dark cloak," Warriv answered. "But a man and a dark cloak, they call him The Wanderer, went through here and brought about the ruin of the monastery."

"When could you say?" Geldar asked, this was a lead, a small one.

"Three, four weeks ago," Warriv said, holding up his hands. "I was heading east at the time but the pass is blocked."

"So there's no way at all?" Geldar asked.

"None," Warriv said plaintively. "You're heading east aren't you? When the pass opens I'll take you with me, and the girl."

"I can't stall any longer," Geldar said distractedly. "I have to keep on his tail, Talina says, she's the Amazon, he might be in league with dark forces and I don't disagree with her."

"You might want to talk to Akara," Warriv said thoughtfully. "She seems to be the leader of this camp, she might tell you more."

"Thank you," Geldar said, smiling to him.

"No, thank you," Warriv returned. "Did you tell me your name?"

"No I didn't," he answered. "It's Geldar."

"Mmm," Warriv pursed his lips and lifted a pot off the fire, smiling at Geldar as he walked away. He knew there was more to this Paladin that met the eye, he was sure of it.

"What do you specialise in?" Kashya asked.

"Javelin," Talina answered, and then added when she Kashya's response. "But the bow is no mystery to me at all. I can split an arrow eight times before it hits the target."

"That's something to be proud of," Kashya said. "But most of my best rogues have mastered the cold or fire arrow."

"Is Silverdart one?" Talina ventured.

"No," Kashya said bluntly. "She has the makings of a leader, but lacks the confidence. Sorry," she said to Talina. "I really shouldn't be saying that. I'm stalling you; Akara would want to talk to you."

There's a cloud of sadness and regret over this camp, Talina thought as she walked to where Kashya indicated. Hatred as well, she added, especially with Kashya.

Geldar was talking to Akara; she was a small woman in a hooded purple cloak but had an aura of power around her. Talina knew if she was like Geldar she'd be able to see it as well.

"The pass is blocked until Andariel is slain," Akara said. "If you want to go east, that is what you have to do. Though you won't be the first."

"I will slay her," Geldar said. "You have my word."

"But not mine, and not the Order's," Akara replied.

"What is it we have to do?" Talina asked impatiently.

Akara frowned; her attitude was not unlike the young rogues that came before her insisting they could make a mark as warriors. More than half of them quit before the first year was out and others didn't make the final selection by Kashya.

"Kashya's rogue scouts have informed me that a cave nearby is filled with shadowy creatures and horrors from beyond the grave," she said slowly and deliberately. "Kashya commands both the defence and offence of our Order," Akara added to Geldar quickly. "I fear these creatures are massing for an attack against our encampment."

"That's understandable," Geldar stated. "And you want us to nip this in the bud?"

"If you are sincere in helping us, find the dark labyrinth and destroy the foul beasts," Akara blinked and turned away from them and went into her tent.

"She's been through a lot," Talina said as they walked away. "Her daughter was among those who were corrupted."

"How terrible," Geldar said under his breath. "Is that why you didn't ask her straight away?"

"Yes," Talina replied.

"Understandable," Geldar said and there was a short silence.

"There's plenty of daylight left," Talina said quickly. "What say we can get it done and over with before nightfall?"

That was another thing about her; she could brush of tragedies as if they were merely blow flies. But was there any other way to deal with them?

"I have to have my sword smithed before it falls to pieces," Geldar replied. "My fault, but it was only my second best."

"Fine," Talina said sarcastically. "You do your housework and I'll go scout for this cave."

"Housework?" Geldar said in astonishment, but she was gone.

His 'housework' took no more than an hour. Charsi the blacksmith was good-natured and always ready with a quick witty remark. If it wasn't for Kashya staring at him for a distance it could have been better, but she didn't bother him, much.

"Where's your companion?' Kashya asked, she had an obvious dislike for him.

"Out scouting for the cave," Geldar said. "I had some things to attend to."

"Akara wants to test both of you," Kashya sneered. "Why is she out alone?"

"Who am I, her keeper?" Geldar retorted and then repented for turning in anger.

From a distance Warriv was watching him carefully. The fire had grown more prominent, it was getting dark and she wasn't back. Going towards the gates Geldar made the mistake of turning left instead of right and bumped into another merchant.

"Welcome my friend!" he said with a fake smile and spread his arms as if to embrace him. "I can tell I'll be your closest ally here in the terrible place."

He found his arm was taken and was forcefully pulled towards a derelict caravan. The small, smiling man took out a sword, noticed the blade was beginning to fall from the hilt and he quickly righted it. But Geldar wasn't deceived this easily, he left with out a word. But he wasn't easily let away.

"Looking for someone are you?" He said, quickly blocking his path. "I'm Gheed, perhaps I can help."

"No thankyou," Geldar said firmly, and he was let through.

This was the first and last time he was seeing this person. He had to go out on the moor to get away from Kashya's watchful eyes and Gheed's smile. He relished the idea of seeing Kashya's face when he brought before her the head of Andariel.

Talina stood out vividly, the red leather a stark contrast against the green. At least some parts of the wilderness hadn't been corrupted. But he had spoken too soon, littering the ground were the slain bodies of vermin; Talina left a trail of destruction to where she stood. Just ahead of her was a cave.

"It's about time you showed up," Talina mocked, skewering a skeleton with a javelin.

"I didn't want you to have all the dirty work," Geldar said, summoning Holy Bolt to smash another and turning to her with a grin.

"Show off," Talina said taking out three zombies with one blow.

"Speak for yourself," Geldar remarked, he couldn't resist baiting her.

"Excuse me?" Talina's eyes focused on Geldar for a moment but his face didn't show any sign of what he had said.

Within a few minutes they were inside the cave, the light was dim but there were several torches here and there. Within a few minutes Geldar's eyes adjusted, and the demons attacked. There were even more down here, some different from the ones outside. Geldar quickly identified a few fallen led by a shaman, zombies and skeletons. Most of them held weapons and were closing fast.

"Get to the shaman or we'll get nowhere!" Geldar yelled as he threw back a few with his shield.

"I'm not stupid!" Talina called back.

She didn't have to say that, Geldar added in thought as he hacked his way through the demons. When the shaman was down they were easier to handle, though Talina got burnt by his staff a few times. They were easier to handle after that, dead in a matter of seconds.

The undead approached then, Geldar was ready with Holy Bolt. Some of the blows hit Talina who was already melee, this didn't really matter it even helped, but in their separate ways they got the area cleared.

This happened again and again when they moved to an unknown part of the cave. The demons weren't that difficult, it was only a bit of a challenge when there were many to worry about. Several times Geldar saw stockpiles of roughly made weapons, Akara was right, they were planning an attack. But he saw no forge or demon smith, which was strange.

"Kashya must have sent some down here before," Geldar said as they stopped to catch breath. "It makes you wonder why they weren't very successful."

"Do you think there's many more?" Talina whispered.

"I'd say only a handful," Geldar replied. "The air smells less foul now, when in doubt follow your nose."

She looked at him depreciatingly before they continued into the last corner. But it was not as they had expected, in the corner surrounded my zombies was an anomaly. He seemed to have a glow of light around him, almost like an aura. This fiend, Geldar knew was no ordinary demon, and this was clearly apparent when a bright, blue, bolt flew from the demon straight towards him. Luckily he was quick enough to deflect it onto the wall.

"Corpse Fire," Talina breathed and Geldar noticed the light was surrounding him was really flames that flickered through his body without burning.

"Incredible," Geldar whispered, and drew his sword. "Take him from the back, I'll distract him."

Geldar held his shield in front of his face and used it to reflect the light in the direction of the zombie. He noticed and slowly came towards him, groaning all the way. He moved quickly, toying with his aggressor, always keeping just out of range. With a few quick slashes he slew the minions and dodged in time as Talina was lining up her shot.

Talina was behind the enemy, readying her javelin but the mark always moved just as she lined it up carefully. Impatiently, she closed her eyes and requested the help of Zerae. Then she threw the javelin, as it flew from her hand it was magically charged with electricity. It landed directly in the zombie's back, Geldar cut off his head as he went down.

"Where did you learn that?" Geldar asked.

"A while ago," she answered. "I must please the goddess; it had more power than before."

Geldar frowned but looked up as he saw the light diminishing and felt the ground shake beneath their feet.

"The cave is collapsing," Talina said and started to run for the entrance, but Geldar caught her by the arm.

"No it isn't," he insisted, looking around and listening as the rumbling ceased and moonlight ebbed through the cracks. "The spirits in the cave were reacting to the absence of evil, all is well now."

"Is that all?" Talina asked, though they both knew the answer.


	6. Chapter V

Chapter V 

"Are you sure of this?" Kashya asked.

"It had to be her," Farron replied. "That voice and she's still wearing that red armour you gave her from that night."

"I just find it so hard to believe she could be corrupted so easily," Kashya said, turning away. "And now this…this…scourge! I can't do anything, she'll know what I'll do corrupted or not."

At this point Talina and Geldar walked into the camp and Kashya dismissed Farron, telling her to close the doors. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts. Should she trust them? Especially him? Talina she could understand, but the Paladin was an enigma.

Akara was waiting for them and knew already what had happened, she gave them half a smile. This was much an effort but through her magic she could see better times were ahead.

"You have done well!" She said, glancing at each of them. "You may yet restore my faith in humanity. I think Kashya wants to talk to you."

"I knew this wasn't it," Talina said bitterly as they walked away.

"Just have faith," Geldar answered.

"Faith!" Talina looked pointedly at him for a moment. "You've got enough faith for both of us."

"Don't push it," Geldar threatened.

Kashya smiled at Talina but looked through Geldar as if he wasn't there. As always, she got right down the business.

"My rogue scouts have reported an abomination in the Monastery graveyard," here eyes were as hard as steel as she poured out her discrepancies. "Bloodraven, one of my finest Captains, was one of the first to be corrupted by Andariel." She paused for a moment; her eyes flickered back and forth. "Now you'll find her in the graveyard, raising our dead as zombies," Kashya continued. "If you are truly our ally, you will help us destroy her."

"Where is the graveyard, Kashya?' Talina asked. "We'll set out at first light tomorrow."

"Past the Cold Plains and east from there," Kashya answered. "Beyond where the sentries end are our fallen sisters."

"That's not the first time we've battled them," Geldar commented, but Kashya still didn't look at him. This didn't bother him, much.

The next morning, as they followed the winding road across the moor, they were silent. It wasn't until they met a rogue sentry at the border that either of them spoke.

"Take heed, the Evil is strong ahead," she said warily. "The corrupt rogues are not to be trifled with." She added cautiously.

"We know what we're doing," Talina said icily.

"We'll see," the rogue replied.

"What does it take to get recognition?" Talina asked as they walked away.

"The head of Andariel," Geldar replied. "But look sharp, they're coming."

A phalanx of corrupt rogues cantered towards them, holding spears. At the back, one that looked different from the others threw electric bolts around. Talina readied her self, Geldar did the same; he concentrated on his aura, making it affect Talina as well. But there was no time to ask questions, they were in range within seconds.

Talina fought wildly, jabbing quickly as they pressed around her and quickly dodging when another lunged at her. Plunging the end into the neck with a small twist gave a quick execution. For good measure she kicked another, the spikes in the toes of her boots made a deep gash, a quick blow finished the job.

Geldar waded through the enemies, slashing at anyone in the way, to get at the leader. He knew if he could aim directly, successive hits would strike the ones that surrounded her. This is exactly what happened, blow after blow hit home to the corrupt rogue sorceress and hewing those around her. A few seconds later he made the killing blow and his assailant fell to the ground groaning. A green apparition passed from her body and she was no more.

"We have to keep going," Talina said, nudging him.

No sooner had they taken a few steps when bellowing cries came from their left and a herd, if that could be said, of goatmen came at them brandishing long-handled axes. To their left was a group of Wendigo beasts and behind them all were more corrupt rogues.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Talina said, and then ran towards them yelling a war cry.

Geldar shook his head, and then realised the danger she was head into.

"Fall back!" Geldar called, retreating as he spoke. "There's no way we can take them all out at once. Let them come to us."

Heeding this sound advice, she moved back, holding her javelin in a defensive position. Talina walked back in line with Geldar, then bent down and scraped something off the ground onto her javelin.

"This will slow them down," she promised, throwing the javelin to a Wendigo beast in the exact middle of the group.

A poisonous green cloud swamped the group, several of them died on the spot but nearly all were weakened. Geldar began to move in as the cloud cleared. He cut quick strokes left and right, clearing a path through the middle. Talina followed, finishing off the ones out of his reach with well-placed javelins.

When it was all over, they stopped for a breather before continuing.

"How are you managing it?" Talina asked.

"I'm used to it," Geldar replied, he took of his helm and shook out his sweaty hair. "I can't believe I left my sword behind though, someone at that inn is going to be very lucky."

"That's why I like the spear," Talina said, picking up her weapon and balancing on your shoulder. "No connection to it, just fire and leave and maybe pick it up for another shot. The make much better ones in the east than out here."

"I know what you mean," Geldar said, he replaced his helmet and looked at her. "Should we continue?"

"By all means," Talina said and they were off.


	7. Chapter VI

Chapter VI 

They eventually got to the graveyard; it was guarded heavily by rogues as well as skeletons and other vermin Geldar couldn't identify. They were lying in the grass, discerning how they would approach such a hive when Talina cried out.

"What is it?" Geldar whispered.

"Great Athulua," Talina breathed and she pointed. "That's her!"

Geldar followed Talina's direction and immediately felt like cursing. No wonder Kashya had such a hardened heart! No wonder Akara seemed like nothing more than a stone statue!

"So what do you think?" Geldar asked, trying to sound casual.

"I can see one solution," Talina said, she looked around frantically as they would be spotted soon due to their aura. "We have to corner her, her advantage is she runs away and fights. Very effective tactic but generally only effective in an open area. Once we get her between the fences of the cemetery we should have her."

"But it will be tough," Geldar noticed. "That last thing we did was really to cut our teeth, this is the real fight."

"Then lets hope Athulua is with us," Talina said. "On three we roll out of here."

Together they ran towards the graveyard Geldar with his shield in front of him and Talina carrying a spear in each hand and extending them out either side of her. There were skeleton warriors, zombies as well as a few corrupt rogues surrounding the cursed Bloodraven.

"Get them at the sides," Talina called as she hurled a few spears. "That's their weakest point."

"There's too many," Geldar called back, they were almost surrounded and it was an effort to keep a gap at his rear. "Fall back," he said, taking a few steps away from the graveyard. "Let them come to us."

"No way," Talina replied, curtly smashing a few skeletons that threatened her with the side of her spear.

"We have to let them follow us," Geldar reasoned. "Fall back."

Geldar concentrated for a moment bringing his thorns aura out to affect Talina. Several skeletons followed them as they retreated but they exploded on impact with his aura. Within a few minutes Talina and Geldar were behind a large rock gasping for breath.

"You hurt?" Geldar asked and he quickly looked around.

"No," Talina said and she stole another look at the graveyard. "You're right, there's too many of them and she keeps making more. We might have more luck if we run straight for her."

"We could get attacked from behind –" Geldar argued but Talina silenced him with a wave of a hand.

"We'll have to take that risk," Talina replied. "If you can take the rear and get them off me I'll take her on."

"And our strategy?" Geldar asked.

"It's still on," Talina said and she licked her lips in anticipation. "They're coming," she said as the clicking of bones and clash of steel came nearer. "Head straight for the gates," she said. "Don't stop, hack your way through and we might be able to lose them."

"Right," Geldar said. "You go first," he said and then added quickly when he noticed her expression. "I'll distract them once you get in the gates, that way not many will follow you."

"Good luck," Talina said and without another word she was off.

Geldar waited a few seconds after she had gone then rolled out from behind a rock to survey the scene. It looked promising, quite a few of the vermin had followed Talina who was on the point of entering the graveyard proper. Getting to his feet he ran towards the stragglers, as he did he prayed to Akarat and summoned Holy Bolt at the skeletons who had noticed him. The spell blazed blue and white, knocking the life out of the undead but he paid them no heed as he ran. He summoned it again and again, ignoring any who didn't approach him.

Talina was just ahead, and by the flashes of fire near her she was closing in on Bloodraven but not getting within attacking range. He pressed harder, reaching into himself for some reserve energy. He slashed again and again, bashing some with his shield and cutting a few zombies to ribbons. He was surprised that within a few minutes there were only a handful of zombies between him and Talina.

"Help me out," he urged her and she felled a few with her javelin.

"Join my army!" Called out a great and terrible voice that made Geldar look up.

Bloodraven stood before him smiling in the way a demon would. She was almost a skeleton and her flesh was so white which contrasted starkly with her flaming-red hair. She raised her bow and aimed at Geldar, he could just see the fiery tip of the arrow before he let it land in his shield.

"I'll take her on," Geldar said and he charged straight at her, he held his shield to protect his face and torso, and also to slam straight into Bloodraven and knocking her off balance.

Bloodraven roared, gnashing her teeth and retreating to summon more zombies but Geldar wasn't perturbed.

"See to them," he said, reaching into his belt for a knife which he threw forcefully at Bloodraven's retreating back. It missed. Cursing, he charged again and smashed her face with the back of his shield.

"You will die!" She declared in a mouthful of bloody feet and she ran again.

They were approaching one of the fences rapidly and Geldar noticed that Talina was advancing too. He smiled but she didn't return the gesture. They didn't need to speak, it was clear anyway. Talina threw a javelin that skimmed past Bloodraven's leg; she gave a burst of speed and turned at fired at them.

"Stagger," Geldar called out, making his run erratic so she couldn't land a shot easy.

But Talina was almost on top of her, shouting at Bloodraven in some undiscernible language as she advanced with her spear in front of her. The tortured woman fired several of the arrows burning Talina but she didn't move from her attack.

Then it was over, Talina's spear protruded from Bloodraven's throat and she fell, cursing as she did. For a moment her sprit hovered overheard and flashes of light came out of several of the graves as they opened. Several zombies died on the spot. When it was over there was silence.

"Rest in peace, sisters," Talina said as she walked towards Geldar with a smile. "Well?"

"We need to keep moving," he said looking around at the undead on the other side of this fence. "This place needs to be cleansed."

"Humph," Talina said, removing her spear from Bloodraven's throat move savagely than necessary.

"You're wounded," Geldar said as they walked back to the camp.

"It's nothing," Talina said huffily.

"Don't lie, I can tell such things," Geldar stopped and felt Talina's shoulder; underneath her red armour it was sticky with blood. "Here, let me…"

But Talina drew back and gave him a look of pure poison.

"Don't," she cautioned.

"Hey, I was only trying to help," Geldar said. "I was trained in healing in the East."

"I'm going to see Akara when we get back," Talina replied. "What's this?"

They were almost on the edge of the Cold Plains when they came across a large square stone set in the ground. Carved into it was a circle that was split into four segments. There were several runes carved into the stone that Geldar knelt down to examine.

"Well?" Talina asked.

"It's a waypoint," Geldar replied. "We have them in the East, you have to say the Horadric runes that are written and they take you wherever you want."

"Like to Tristram?" Talina asked, she was relentless.

"The rules of the magic state you can only go to places you've been before," he answered he and he recited the incantation to take them back to the camp.


	8. Chapter VII

Chapter VII 

Yet Talina's persistence in her quest from her people proved to be worthwhile. Soon after they had reported to Kashya of their success, the fiery-spirited woman curtly stated that the rogues were at their disposal, Akara had walked from her tent to give them another quest.

"Well done to you both," she said with a smile. "Though it appears that we are dealing with an evil that we cannot comprehend, let alone combat."

"I can offer my services," Geldar offered but Akara shook her head.

"The Church of Light has much to offer but we need older magics," Akara explained. "There is only one Horadric Sage schooled in the most arcane history and lore, who could help us. His name is Deckard Cain. You must travel to Tristram and find him. I pray he still lives."

"I accept your quest," Geldar said, bowing his head as was customary. "But how would we get there? I would have been there sooner but the wall around it is impassable. The river is too deep to ford around Tristram. But," he added with a smile. "I have heard that your people have a way of getting in there."

"Well met, Master Paladin," Akara replied and she went into her tent and emerged bearing a great book. "Here," she said pointing at a picture inscribed with letters neither Geldar nor Talina could decipher. "The Tree of Inifuss bears a scroll that I can decipher; it lies in the Dark Forest on the other side of the mountains past the Stony Field. In the Stony Field you'll find a stone circle that will open a portal to take you to Tristram," she closed the book with a snap and a cloud of dust. "The scroll should tell me the right order the stones should be touched to get there."

"I don't like this kind of magic," Geldar said after they had thanked Akara. "It's next door to witchcraft."

"You and your prejudices," Talina accused. "What's the difference between the magic we wield and what they wield?" She pointed out onto the Blood Moor where the rotting carcasses were attracting the attention of flies. "Intention," she replied when Geldar didn't.

"It's not just that," Geldar replied as they neared Warriv's fire. "Such temptations are against the teachings of the Zakarum. I made a vow when I was made a Paladin that I wouldn't be tempted by any false light, enticing as it seems."

"Well at the very least be practical," Talina said and she stormed off in temper.

"I trust you succeeded?" Warriv asked, coming to the fire carrying a pot and kettle.

The Paladin couldn't resist giving the merchant a blow-by-blow account of his and Talina's assault on the graveyard. Warriv was interested, stopping Geldar in his narrative to inquire about certain fine points which the Paladin was more than happy to explain. By the time they had cleared the plates away and Warriv had brought out his pipe Geldar was finished his tale. Warriv was almost disappointed that it was over and he asked Geldar what they were doing next."

"With luck," Geldar said with a wry smile. "The day after tomorrow you'll have a Horadric Sage sitting around the fire telling sharing tales with us."

"There is one still alive?" Asked Warriv with a disbelieving smile.

"We hope," Geldar said and he stared into the fire.

The journey across the Stony Field was tough, even with the waypoint to pass the Blood Moor. By midmorning when they stopped for a break Geldar had to remove his helm to wipe out the sweat that was building up in it. It would not do for the stout leather there to grow mouldy. Talina splashed her face with water from a skin and drank a little more before loading it into her pack. She looked around cautiously, her spear and danger close at hand, but they were alone for once.

"They're out there," Geldar told her when she had voiced her observations. "It's just they haven't seen us. We haven't passed the stones yet."

"They're ahead," Talina replied. "I caught a glimpse of them when we were fighting those goatmen before. They're heavily guarded." She paused and then asked him another question. "How do we get past those mountains, they're not the same ones that are near the Monastery are they?"

"No, they're further east on the other side of the Dark Wood," Geldar replied, fastening his helm as it was now dry. "But as for the mountain, we go under it. Charsi told me there was an underground passage when she repaired my weapons."

"I've got the feeling that there's evil down there as well," Talina said as she got to her feet.

"Got that right," Geldar said and he drew his sword. "Where did you say the stones were?"

"North," Talina said pointing.

"Then lets get this done," Geldar said and they were off again.

As Talina had said the stones were well guarded. In the middle of them was a green Dark one who cast lightning at them when they neared. There was nothing for it but to kill his minions before facing the demon. Geldar fought him, several times getting burnt by the electricity, until the Paladin slit the monster's throat and he died with a gurgle and cackle.

"Well?" Geldar asked Talina, he wasn't going to examine the stones until it was all clear.

"Go ahead," Talina said, raising her spear.

Geldar approached one of the stones. It was quite large, about twice as tall as he was and about as wide as his arm. On one side it was engraved with a single rune that Geldar could not identify. Slowly he touched it and instantly his hand jerked back.

"What?" Talina asked, she had noticed Geldar's reaction.

"There's strong magic in these," Geldar replied. "By Akarat, I haven't seen the like of it in the West."

"Could it be misused?" Talina asked, she ached to go over and examine it herself but she kept her post.

"No," Geldar replied, pulling himself away from the examination of the stone. "It's not the kind, this is new to me," he cast a depreciating look at the sky. "We'd better get going if we wanted to reach the passage by dark."

It was hard fighting across the plain, there were more corrupt rogues, some were organised with bows and arrows but the vast majority had pikes or ran with swords and shields. Their bodies were white, green even blue and red with the effects of their transformation. Talina even admitted to Geldar that it pained her to fight them.

"I've not seen you yet show any sort of hesitation to kill," Geldar teased her as they walked towards the distant mountain.

"It's not that," Talina said. "It's next door to murder, even though they no longer have souls."

"But they have souls," Geldar reminded her. "When they die their souls leave them, hopeless as they are."

"Never mind," Talina said and she stopped suddenly. "Is that…" she hastened to a run and stopped just before a tree.

"What is it?" Geldar asked.

"It's a book," Talina replied and she stepped towards it.

No sooner than she did when the shrieking of blood hawks came from ahead. It took a few minutes to kill them all while Geldar hacked their nest apart. After a quick glance around the area to see if it was deserted Geldar stepped up to the book to read it as Talina couldn't.

"It's very old," he said, opening it carefully. "And mouldy with the moisture."

"What does it say?" Talina asked.

"Not much," Geldar said, flipping through the book as quickly as he could. "Most of the text is too faint to make out. Ah," he stopped and placed his finger on the damp page as he read. "'And so it came to be that the Countess, who once bathed in the rejuvenating blood of a hundred virgins, was buried alive. And her castle in which so many cruel deeds took place fell rapidly to ruin. Rising over the buried dungeons in that god-forsaken wilderness, a solitary tower, like some monument to evil, is all that remains.'"

"Nice," Talina said ironically. "Is there any more?"

"Just a little," Geldar replied and he kept reading. "'The Countess's fortune was believed to have been divided among the clergy, although some say that more remains unfound, still buried alongside the rotting skulls that bear mute witness to the humanity of this inhumane creature.'" He closed the book and stepped back. "I don't know what to make of it."

"Well you were talking about witchcraft before," Talina reminded him. "This is about as close as it gets."

"There's a difference between that and wild stories," Geldar chided gently.

"With all the evil in Sanctuary today I wouldn't be surprised if it was true," Talina pointed out, there was a pause. "Come on," she said, smiling encouragingly. "We're wasting the daylight."


	9. Chapter VIII

Chapter VIII 

The Underground Passage proved to be hard going. The tunnels were tight and the vermin a-plenty. Several times Geldar had to shield Talina with his body to avoid getting hit by the energy balls the cave dwellers threw at them. Talina hardly minded, what with little sleep and a string desire to prove herself to Geldar after his lack of praise for her killing Andariel, her temper was short but she was also tired.

Geldar noticed this and asked her if she wanted to head back to camp when they were resting just before emerging from the tunnel.

"You're jesting, right?" Talina asked. "If we don't go on we've got a day wasted in this hole. We need to get to the waypoint at the very least. And I will feel failed by the rogues if I don't return with the scroll."

"You're still thinking about your mission aren't you?" Geldar asked.

"You think?" Talina replied. "It's not something I'd give up easy. They're my people, Paladin Geldar, why would I let them down."

"Perhaps because the rogues need him more," Geldar reasoned but Talina was on her feet and screaming at them.

"What would you know anyway?" Talina demanded. "It's not as if what you're fighting for is anything worthwhile. There's your nephew, fine that you want to see him. But I hear things in the East; the Church of Light has gone wrong."

"Don't," Geldar said in a quiet voice that made Talina stop. "I was approached by a minion of the renegade angel Baritone who told me the same story you are telling me."

"I'm sorry," Talina said but Geldar went on.

"I was brought up not to question my beliefs," Geldar explained to her. "And until I see facts that the Zakarum have fallen from the high postion they have in my eyes, they will remain there."

There was a long silence as Talina and Geldar stared at each other in the dim light of the cave. This was broken when Geldar finally got up and headed towards the light at the end followed at a distance by Talina.

The Dark Forest, though aptly named, was nowhere near the thickness of the Shadow Woods that Geldar and Talina had fought through a week ago. Nevertheless the trees interfered with Talina's fighting as it made obstructions for aiming and more than often her javelins would get lost in the trees.

Geldar just found that it was dark, though he knew if they kept to the road it was bound to get them to the other side as caravans used it. Whether it would get them to the tree was another matter.

"Oh no," Talina gasped, they were talking again but it was nothing more than what was necessary.

"What?" Geldar was wiping the blood off his face with a cloth that seemed to have more blood and dirt on it than was sanitary.

"I see the tree," Talina said. "It's unmistakable."

"Good," Geldar said as he wiped the blood off his sword.

"It's guarded by one of those moving walls," Talina said. "No, there are three."

"Oh," was all Geldar could offer. "What's between them and us?"

"Two packs of skeletons and a fortress of demons," Talina replied.

"Let's take this one step at a time," Geldar suggested and they were off.

"You know," Geldar said as they hewed their way towards the tree. "I used to keep count of all the vermin I slew."

"When did you stop?" Talina asked.

"In the passage," Geldar replied. "I was up to a few hundred and I had to save you."

Talina said nothing until the area was clear. The Wendigos hadn't seen them yet so there was time to talk.

"I suppose I should thank you for that," Talina said testily.

"I suppose I should applaud you for slaying Bloodraven," Geldar replied. "Look, what was said before is over. We need to work together and to do that we can't have out own private battle."

"Apology accepted," Talina said but before Geldar could reply they were interrupted by an unearthly roar from behind them.

They moved just in time to let the huge beasts crash past them and then disappear into the undergrowth. Geldar almost laughed, it reminded him of a comic play hew had once seen in the East but this was too serious.

Before either of them could speak they appeared again, this time brandishing their fists on an offensive. Talina made a sudden movement then threw her javelin and the air was filled with poison-green clouds again. When the air cleared two of the minions were dead and Geldar was making fast work on their main target. He almost felt sorry for the giant beast as he drove the last stroke home, they had reputed to be kind to travellers before the Evil came. Now driven to some sort of paranoia with anyone they came across.

"There's the tree," Geldar said. "It's getting quite dark now. We'd best be heading back."

"Don't be like that," Talina said as she walked up to the tree and examined it.

The scroll was almost grown into the bark and it seemed a shame to remove it but it had to be done. Talina carefully cut it free with her dagger then rolled it up and put it in her pack.

"There's the waypoint," she said, her voice betraying how tired she was.

"You don't get much sleep with the rogues, do you?" Geldar asked her.

"It's military discipline," Talina replied. "And they're usually not out all day like we are."

"You should come and sit by the fire one night," Geldar offered as they stepped onto the stone. "Warriv was asking me what you were like."

"Don't push it," Talina warned, so he didn't.

So it happened again that Geldar shared his meal and conversation with Warriv again, though they had to duck into his caravan and make do with a smaller fire due to the rain. Akara had thanked them for the scroll and promised she would spend most of the night translating it and give them a copy before they set out in the morning. And of course Talina had gone somewhere and couldn't be found, but Geldar didn't pursue her.

Geldar asked the merchant of the news he had heard from the East despite the fact that it was small and scanty.

"It's better than nothing," the Paladin insisted. "You've been in the south near Kingsport haven't you? The trading vessels would have come from Lut Gholein at least."

"Not much word gets through now the pass has been blocked," Warriv explained. "And it was winter when I was down there so not many vessels were trading in the rough weather. However," Warriv paused to light his pipe and drew from it before continuing. "It's clear that the East is not what it used to be, the tales remind me of the stories I was told as a child."

"What stories?" Geldar asked.

"Well for instance the Last Stand Inn past the Eastern Gate in the mountains," Warriv said. "That place did a lot of trade when it was open and the publican is a friend of mine. I've heard stories it was destroyed after the Monastery fell, word got through before Akara decided to close the gate."

"The Wanderer," Geldar replied, glancing through the rain at the other tents. "Spreading destruction in his wake, I have seen it."

"Haven't we all, my friend," Warriv said, lifting his pipe to his lips. "Haven't we all."

"So what's your name and your forte," Talina asked the rogue Kashya had sent to accompany them to Tristram.

"My name is Farron," the girl replied, she had short brown hair that was secured under a helm and wore scanty leather armour as all the rogues did. She carried a bow. "My skills are in the cold arrow, Kashya herself taught me how."

"All right, you can come with us," Talina said and she glanced at Geldar. "No objections?"

"None," Geldar replied, he was aching to get going.

"Follow us at the flank," Talina said as they walked to Akara's tent to get the scroll. "And keep up; out there you can get surrounded easy."

"I can take care of myself," Farron reminded the Amazon.

"Not in Tristram you can't," Talina said and would have continued had Geldar not prevented her.

"Don't be too hard on her," he cautioned.

She didn't say anything as the approached Akara. The purple-cloaked sorceress smiled at them as she handed them a scroll.

"Here they are," she said and Geldar noticed the dark circles under her eyes.

"What kind of magic is it?" He asked her. "We found them but I couldn't pin it down."

"Very old," Akara replied. "Older than the arts of the Great Eye, I can tell you. Legends say they were set up as a defence station by Jered Cain before they imprisoned Diablo in Tristram."

"And Deckard Cain is descended from them?" Talina asked and Akara nodded.

"Time is running short," she said, smiling again. "May the Great Eye watch over you."

Geldar pondered as they walked to the waypoint the logic of a Great Eye as the sisters worshipped not being able to see but being able to watch over them like some omnipotent god. He abandoned the thought as he said the incantation and they were in the stony field.

"Keep your wits about you," Geldar warned the women. "We cleansed this area yesterday, but there still might be more out there."

They approached the Cairn Stones with caution and Geldar wasn't satisfied until both Talina and Farron were put on watch while he activated the charm. He and Talina had discussed it at length over breakfast, but in the end it opted to Geldar as Talina could defend them at a rather long range.

"Akarat forgive me for performing these unseemly rites," Geldar whispered as he stood in the centre of the circle.

He looked carefully at the scroll and followed Akara's directions, the stones had to be touched in a certain order or they had to wait for a day and a night to cleanse the circle. Geldar read them through three times to make sure he got them right before starting to perform the spell. As he touched the stones the runes glowed blue and started to hum in a strange way. He was just about to touch the last one when Talina called out.

"What?" Geldar asked, he hadn't wanted to be disturbed.

"Your stash is in the middle of the circle," she pointed out. "If what Akara told us last night happens, the energy beams are going to unite in the centre."

"Right," Geldar said and accordingly he moved his things. "Stand back," Geldar warned and he touched the last stone.

The humming had been faint before but now it was almost deafening, Geldar even covered his ears to block out the noise. The sky darkened and there was the crack of thunder and bright flash as lightning bolts hit the ground. The air smelt strange and seemed to crackle with electricity. Suddenly string bolts of energy emerged from the five stones and united to a point in the centre. There was a loud crack and a portal appeared in the centre.

Talina started to say something but Geldar couldn't make it out due to the noise. He made sure his armour was fastened properly and his sword was out as he stepped towards the portal. The energy felt good against his legs, not hurtful at all but quite soothing.

"I'll go in first," he shouted but Talina disagreed.

"I'd better, I can find out what's there and we can plan," she shouted back. "We don't know what we're facing."

"Don't be long," Geldar yelled and she smiled and stepped through the red portal and vanished, Farron made as if to follow but Geldar waved her back.

About a minute passed and she didn't return. Five minutes after Talina had left the energy quit from the stones but the portal remained. Geldar waited another five minutes before he began to consider something bad had happened.

"I'm an idiot," he said so Farron couldn't hear. "Letting her go in by herself, we don't know what's in there."

"Master Paladin," Farron said, not smiling but keeping the respective distance between them. "Shouldn't we just go after her?"

"The more we leave it the worse it gets," Geldar said. "And I've got the feeling you're not just there to help me fight."

"When did you figure that out?" The rogue asked.

Geldar didn't answer as he stepped through the portal with Farron close behind him.


	10. Chapter IX

Chapter IX 

For a few moments Geldar could feel every hair on his head prickle, he felt cold, hot, wet and parched all at once. It wasn't until he felt himself step onto the ground once more that he was confident his head was on his shoulders. He paused, noticing they were in the burnt out remains of Tristram, and advancing towards them were skeletons with bows and arrows.

He wasn't one minute on the other side when there came the sound of an arrow near his ear and he had to dive to avoid it. Farron wasn't so lucky, it landed in her throat and she died instantly.

"No time for her," Geldar told himself as he ran at the skeleton archer. "Talina!" She was nowhere in sight and this was a bad sign. Could she have gone somewhere else? "Talina?"

The skeletons he was against made him step this way and that while trying to land a blow somewhere. In frustration he summoned Holy Bolt and they were nothing but a pile of bones. He stopped; he need time to centre himself.

He was just outside a burnt-out house and by the stench surrounding the area the entire village was on fire, and infested with demons. He kept to the wall of the house, hoping it wouldn't collapse on him, as he fought his way to the corner of the building. Free of aggressors he poked his head around the corner, then wished he didn't.

Talina was standing below a cage surrounded by hoards of vermin fighting for her life. In the cage above her was an old man, much emaciated by lack of food, yet he was alive. He could call out to her but the demons would be upon him and he would have as much of a chance as she did. He needed to do something subtler.

Reaching into his pack he pulled out a set of throwing axes, these had cost him dear when he was in Khanduras but there wasn't a better time than now to use them. Quickly he jumped out from behind the corner and started throwing them; he purposely aimed low so not to accidentally hit Talina or Deckard Cain.

Some of them turned to follow him and he darted back and around the house to the other side of the village square. On the way he passed more corpses but he ignored them. He attacked again, felling some and wounding others. It wasn't much but it gave Talina breathing space to attack. He was about to run and join her when he heard the most unearthly groan.

Turning around he saw a man approaching him, quite short and stout and dressed in rust-coloured tunic and breaches with a blacksmith's apron. At first Geldar thought it was a survivor, but by the sluggish way the man approached him it was clear he was mistaken.

It took one seconds to clip the remaining axes to his belt and another to draw his sword and aim a slash at the man's throat. Geldar fought on and on, the tortured man had nothing but his fists but when he struck the Paladin there was more than pain behind the blow. Geldar could feel himself slowing in combat and the blows came quicker and quicker. Gritting his teeth he cleansed himself and went on the offensive.

He had the man against a wall and was about to attack again when his aggressor suddenly fell to the ground with a javelin in his chest. Geldar turned around slowly and noticed Talina was standing there, next to her was Deckard Cain.

"We all clear?" Geldar asked Talina and he nodded to the sage, introductions could wait until it was safe.

"There's nothing left," Talina replied. "You want to stay around?"

"No," Geldar said. "Farron's dead." He then turned his full attention to Deckard Cain. "Has Talina explained to you who sent us?" He asked.

"Not that it matters," the man said, he leaned on his stick heavily and he carried a wallet slung on a strap. "I merely thank you both for coming to my aid."

"My name is Geldar, I am a Paladin of Zakarum the Church of Light," Geldar said. "And I am honoured to meet you, noble sir."

"The honour is mine," Cain said and they started to make their way towards the portal. "Wait," he said. "Check in there," he indicated the burnt out smithy and Geldar ducked in quickly.

"Empty," Geldar replied.

"I was afraid of that," he said sadly. "They've taken the Anvil of Fury; that could have helped after what has happened."

"But what has happened?" Talina asked. "That's what we're trying to find out. Even at the camp we don't have details."

"Well saved stories once we get to safety," Geldar said as they neared the portal. "Are you right to walk, sir? I need to take the rogue's body back for burial."

"I am weakened only in body," the sage replied with a wry grin.

While Cain was sitting by the fire having something to eat Geldar washed his face and applied oil to his cuts. He noticed Cain was looking curiously at him and stopped. There was a few seconds of silence before the sage continued eating and Geldar poured the water from the bowl onto the ground. He then dried himself and sat down on another log.

"Can you help us?" Geldar asked.

"What's there to do?" Cain put the plate near the stack of dirties and looked straight at the Paladin. "I can tell you no more about what goes on here than what you already know."

"Then tell me what you know," Geldar asked, his head was in his hands. "You saw the Wanderer, tell me if you can."

Cain's dark-skinned face looked older than it was as he paused and looked for the best way the story could begin. Even Warriv had taken interest and Talina happened to stop by at this opportune moment.

"You know of how The Lord of Terror was imprisoned," the sage said finally. "I can tell you again how he destroyed King Leoric, how he corrupted the Archbishop Lazarus and took hold of Prince Albrecht. But you know all this, but Diablo was slain in the form that he chose to take on, yet his spirit remained in the soulstone which I believe the Wanderer took with him east. He mistakenly thought that he could contain one of the Prime Evils, that mistake has led to all the destruction in these lands."

"But why East?" Geldar asked. "Surely what is guarded above Mount Arreat is surely greater."

"He is not strong enough to make that lofty goal Master Paladin," Cain reminded him. "He seeks to free his brothers. Baal, the Lord of Destruction imprisoned in the Tomb of Tal Rasha in Aranoch and Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred kept secret in the Temple of the Zakarum. That is until now."

"What?" Geldar asked but Cain continued his narrative.

"From what Akara and Kashya have told me," the sage said. "Our Wanderer has managed to keep the Lord of Terror under some control, he has only had limited success. To stop the Terror in his wake we must head East."

Geldar hung his head and wondered what Cain meant about the Lord of Hatred. Wouldn't he have known about something like that? Nothing made sense anymore.

"Might I have a word?" He asked Cain early the next morning.

They were sitting near the fire with plates of some sort of porridge Warriv had cooked up. It smelled bad and tasted worse but it was better than raw hunger.

"I thought you might try to put a few words in my ear," Cain said. "Your face is…somewhat familiar."

"You must have met my brother Lemnar," Geldar said. "He was one of the ones who fought below Tristram, yet he came as a free agent not in the name of the Zakarum. Do you remember him?"

"Something of the sort," Cain said distractedly. "There were many who came to fight, rogues, warriors, even Vizjerei. Too many to remember in any great detail." Geldar hung his head in disappointment, though Cain added something to make him look up again. "Now I think of it, I seem to remember the one you mention as your brother, I never got his name of course. Very quiet, I only had a handful of words to him at a time. Are you searching for him?"

"No, I know he is dead," Geldar replied. "I'm searching for his son Sinclair, I was training him as my squire and he was kidnapped the night I met a very strange personage."

"What kind of personage?" Cain asked and Geldar gave him brief particulars. "Yes, sounds like one of those who have sold their souls to the forces of evil."

"That was my impression," Geldar admitted. "He was last seen headed east, and I can't get through until the pass is opened."

"Have patience, my friend," Cain reassured. "And don't give up on your brother."

"I am not so optimistic about Lemnar," Geldar said glumly.

"Try to be," Cain said with a smile.


	11. Chapter X

Chapter X 

They decided to call it a rest day as Deckard Cain was safe and Akara told Geldar and Talina there was no pressing business at the moment. Talina was lying down somewhere so Geldar decided to leave the camp by himself. It seemed rather foolhardy but he wanted to return to Tristram to finish something there.

He arrived at the Cairn Stones by midmorning and the protal was still there. He closed his eyes and stepped through. The stench of death was still around as well as the reek of decay. Nevertheless he walked around with his sword drawn, Talina had said the town was cleansed but there were still things in his mind that had to be done.

He had once cleansed an accursed town a while ago, one of the old women had been practicing forbidden magic and the entire village had suffered a plague as a result. Some said that the two events were unrelated, though not in the eyes of the Zakarum. They had evacuated the inhabitants and locked the old woman in her house, then torched the village. To this day Geldar never forgot the old woman's screams of agony as the house burnt around her.

Yet there wasn't much to be done except set fire to the corpses of the demons as most of the houses were empty shells anyway. He managed to enter the smouldering cathedral and put the desecrated shrine to rights, the Light of Akarat reigned again in Tristram.

As he was leaving he entered a house purely on impulse. There was nothing there, a smouldering bed and a table and chair askew. But he pulled back the burning coverlet and tossed the mouldy pillow aside.

A scabbard, slightly rusty and tarnished but by it was well-wrought with precious stones on the end and the tip glinted gold. He took it out of the house to examine it closer, there was writing on it that was too rusted to identify and a few clasps where it had slid onto a leather belt.

"A scabbard with no sword," Geldar said as he approached the portal. "Very strange."

Once he was through the other side there came another great crack that made him turn back. The portal was collapsing in on itself; there was a shudder and a murmur then nothing but the soft rain pattering on his shoulders. He looked up at the sky, it was getting dark.

"Didn't know it was so late in the day," he said as he approached the waypoint.

Upon entering the camp he showed Deckard Cain his find. The Horadric sage turned the scabbard over and over in his hands before taking a stone and started to rub the scabbard with it.

"What's that?" Geldar asked as Warriv neared the fire.

"Pumice stone," Cain replied. "Ah, it's just as I thought." He pointed to the writing on the scabbard, now clearer but still a bit tarnished. "This is the scabbard for Griswold's Edge, a broad sword fashioned on the Anvil of Fury. Keep it well once it is repaired." Cain handed the scabbard back to him.

Geldar fingered it for a few moments and a questioned occurred to him. He voiced it and Cain looked thoughtful.

"You may as well ask that, my friend," he said. "The scabbard is useless without its mate, but I daresay the Wanderer has it. It was fashioned for him. Look inside."

Geldar held it as close to the fire as he dared, looking closely he could see blood stains. But a much darker red than was normal.

"Demonic?" Geldar asked he dropped it as if it was cursed and wiped his hands on his tunic. "I shouldn't have touched it."

"Don't be foolish," the old man cautioned. "A sword that has slain a demon, particularly a Prime Evil, sings of its destruction as it enters the flesh. Imbued on it forever is power, raw power that may be used either way."

Geldar picked it up again and turned it over. Perhaps he could use it, or keep it for luck and protection. At the very least he could have it cleaned up as it troubled him to have a weapon, even part of one, in such a state.

"Get Charsi to fix it," Cain suggested. "Perhaps we'll find the sword later."

Geldar didn't say anything as he examined it.

"Where have you been?" Talina asked.

Geldar was sitting on a stone near the fire of Charsi's forge as she repaired the scabbard. He smiled as he watched her make the steel sing under her hammer. That is until Talina came around the corner in a bad state.

"Tristram," Geldar replied, not ceasing his watching of the smithing.

"What?" Talina demanded. "Why?"

"I may have just saved us," he said and gestured to the scabbard. "That's the casing of the sword that slew Diablo."

"You have the sword that killed the Lord of Terror?" Talina asked.

"No," Geldar answered. "Only the scabbard."

"Only the—" Talina said and she looked at the scabbard for a moment. "What's the use of it without a sword?"

"Never mind," Geldar said. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"The Countess," Talina said. "She exists, not a story after all. Akara told me."

On their way to the Dark Forest the next morning, Talina related the narrative. The Countess, or rather Countess Cybelle of Tyenna, set up a hedonistic cult in her court. She appealed to the young who were critical of the Church of Light. When the Lord of Terror began to awaken below Tristram the cult took a sacrificial turn, Cybelle requested the bleeding of virgins male and female and she said that the blood would give her immortality. Eventually she was slain by one of her clergy who divided the Countess's vast fortune between them.

"But if you take that as fact," Talina said to him. "Then what that book told us is true then about the rest of it."

"About how much of it remains to be found?" Geldar asked. "I have no interest in such mundane things."

"What about that scabbard?" Talina asked. "That's a possession if you Zakarumites are against such things."

"Possession is allowed, within limits," Geldar replied. "Wealth, riches, lavishness corrupt the soul."

"Please don't go into that," Talina said tiredly. "I got enough criticism from your kind when I was a mercenary."

This made Geldar stop and stare at the young Amazon. He tried to look for any sign of jesting in her face but there was none, she looked deadly serious.

"Yes, I was a mercenary for a few years," Talina said. "I needed combat experience and the moment came in the failed capture of the stronghold of Diroshan near Mount Arreat."

"You were in that unholy conquest?" Geldar asked incredulously. "You were part of the unspeakable slaughter of civilians?"

"No, I was General Lodwin's bodyguard," Talina asked. "He suspected that some of his men would murder him, I saved his life several times and was rewarded for my services."

She showed him a piece of silver on a chain inscribed with what Geldar identified as a Shael Rune. She smiled at him as she put it back beneath her tunic.

"Most exploits normally have their rewards," she explained with a smile. "Even if the means to get them is quite unsanitary."

"Unsanitary is not the word I would use," Geldar said and he was silent after that.


	12. Chapter XI

Chapter XI 

Beyond the Dark Woods was a place called the Great Marsh, as the entered it Geldar could feel the rankness in the air. This place had once teemed with life, now it just harboured vermin. Not that it was an easier getting through it. Monsters were more and more numerous, travelling in large groups and following eerily organised attack plans.  
"At least we know we're getting closer to the Monastery," Talina said. "The air is cooler as we're higher up."

Geldar noticed this too but didn't comment, he longed for the warm climates of the East, humid and bug-infested as they were. They came to a stop about noon; there was a well nearby where they refreshed themselves after Geldar pronounced it safe.

"So she's in a tower?" Geldar asked and Talina nodded.

"It's going to be hard going," Talina said.

"Nothing we can't handle," Geldar replied.

"Much more undead underground," Talina reminded him.

"I'm fine," Geldar said. "I don't know about you."  
Talina scowled as she filled up her waterskin and put it in her pack. A spot of rain fell on her face and she examined the sky, another storm was coming.

"At least we'll be inside," Talina mused as they set off in the pouring rain.

The tower was crumbling when they got to it, and rather dangerous as they ducked under the low doorway. Geldar looked around cautiously, and then he noticed the ladder leading down.

"Looks like that's where we are headed," Geldar said, he didn't sound pleased. "How much daylight is left?"

"A few hours," Talina said. "Though it's next to impossible to tell with the clouds. Why do you ask? It would be dark always down there anyway."

"We need to make a fire," Geldar said, reaching into his pack for some birch bark and dry kindling.

"Why?" Talina asked.

"I don't have the energy to make light for us to see and fight," Geldar replied. "See what wood you can find. They and get some nice long sticks as well."

"Will do," Talina said and she disappeared into the rain.

Geldar shredded some of the bark and surrounded it with kindling; he then got out a flint stone and struck it against his sword until he had a few flames. Slowly, almost lovingly, he brought up a soft blaze on the floor of the tower. The rest of the bark he had put aside so they could use it when the explored underground.

Within a few minutes Talina was back, she placed some wood on the floor and peeled off her wet cloak. Shivering she sat close to the fire.

"We're not going back tonight, are we?" She asked him.

"What do you mean?" He asked her.

"The marsh is flooding," Talina replied. "We're on high ground here but there's no way back now."

"The waypoint?" Geldar asked.

"Surrounded by a sea of mud," Talina replied. "Face it; we're here for the night."

"We'll take turns watching," Geldar replied. "That wood will do us good and out cloaks will dry."

"I'm worried about there," Talina said and pointed to the hole.

"Whoever is on sentry will have to keep both eyes open then," Geldar answered.

They had a frugal meal of hard bread with pieces of cheese that they toasted in the fire. Fortunately for them the wind was blowing against the wall of the tower so inside they were warm and dry, even if only for a time. To warm them up Geldar boiled some water in a small pot he kept in his pack and threw in a few herbs.

"What's this?" Talina asked.

"We call it tea in the East," Geldar replied, he took a sip and offered it to her. "It'll warm you up even if we have to share."

Talina cautiously took a mouthful and some of the colour returned to her cheeks. By now it was full dark and their cloaks were giving off steam in the warmth of the tower. Talina was almost asleep so Geldar let her be; he threw her cloak over her sleeping form and sat behind the doorway wrapped in his mantle to take the first watch.

After a few hours Talina relieved him and Geldar was asleep before his head touched the fold of his cloak. He was awakened in the cold light of the early morning by the sound of scratching coming from the hole in the floor.

Geldar immediately bolted to his feet and reached for his sword, Talina was already making short work of the scavengers that had emerged from the hole after the few scraps of food they had left. A few quick slashes and they were no more.

"Good morning," Talina said with a smile. "Nice of you to join me at last."

"Why didn't you wake me?" Geldar asked her.

"You looked so peaceful," Talina replied. "And I didn't need any help, thank you."

"You're welcome," Geldar replied and he went to restart the fire.

After a quick breakfast Geldar made and lit the birch bark torches that smoked and spluttered with an intense heat. Quickly he doused the fire with the remainder of the tea so they could be off.

"How are we going to get down the ladder?" Talina asked.

"I'll have to pass them to you one at a time," Geldar replied.

When they were both down Geldar took a quick look around. He paused in a doorway then motioned for Talina to follow him.

"Look," he said, pointing to a circle of flames ahead of them. "Fiery symbols of evil power, we've come to the right place."

"That's not all," Talina said and she pointed to some apparitions coming towards them.

"Great Light of Akarat!" Geldar swore. "What are they?"

"Keep back," Talina said and she readied her spear. "Something tells me they can harm us in more than one way."

As Geldar quickly put their torches into wall brackets Talina threw one of her javelins; but it did little more than break a few bones of the advancing flying skeletons. Geldar was about to rush forward and hack them with his sword, but he thought better of it and switched it for a flail with a long handle. After several stokes one of the ghosts shattered with a satisfying smash.

Talina swung her javelin like a club that knocked one of the skeletons back, as she did this Geldar summoned Holy Bolt which finished the ghost off. After a few minutes there was nothing but the dripping of water, the quick breaths of the two heroes and in the distance the crackling of flames.

"We go on?" Geldar asked but Talina stopped him.

"What is that flash of light you summon?" She asked him.

"You mean Holy Bolt?" Geldar asked. "It's a sort of electric spell but it works only on the undead and humans."

"So it kills humans?" Talina asked.

"Kills, no," Geldar replied. "Heals, it does."

"Oh," was all Talina could say.

A few minutes of silence past and then they both walked towards the fire holding their torches before them.


	13. Chapter XII

Chapter XII 

They found the Countess a few levels down, after battling skeletons, ghosts and quite a few corrupt rogues they came to a chamber where they could hear shouting.

"Wait," Talina said and she pointed to a side room. "Let's go in there first."

Geldar followed her and stopped in the doorway. On a low table in the room was a large chest that Talina had jemmied open and it was full of gold. Next to it was a fine sword with matching dagger, a helmet and a mail corselet on an armour stand.

"You're nothing but a mercenary," Geldar teased her as she helped herself to the gold.

"And you aren't?" Talina asked, noticing he had removed the mail shirt.

"That's blood money," Geldar said and he turned back to the corselet. "This is probably stolen."

"Or freely given," Talina suggested, pointing to the finely mended chain work indicating that it belonged to a formidable warrior. "Take it," she said, her dark eyes lighting up with mischief.

"It's not honourable," Geldar replied, he reluctantly put it back.

"Honour!" Talina declared. "You're armour is falling to pieces as it is and you're talking about honour? Be reasonable."

He had to admit she had a point. A few years ago he had possessed a hauberk of plate-mail, styled in the nature of the west even though he had purchased it in Lut Gholein. He had to sell it on the way over to Khanduras in exchange for some medicine for a fellow traveller. The man was ailing past his skill in healing and the trade was well worth the life of the man. They had parted best of friends and never seen each other again.

His leather armour had sufficed, but numerous patches and mending had stretched it far enough. Perhaps his masters could forgive him for plundering, just this once.

When they left the room Talina was laden down with gold and Geldar's leather vest was lying abandoned on the table.

If Geldar had through Bloodraven was corrupted and soulless, he had to admit that the Countess was worse. She was a sickly blue colour, naked except for a blood-stained cloth that streamed red down her legs. She was also quite fast and a formidable sorceress casting walls of fire that had Geldar fast stepping to avoid getting burnt. But they had an advantage over her; she would not leave the room she was in.

Slaying her rogue minions took no time at all and Geldar and Talina were having a quick conference when the Paladin noticed something. There was a door on the other side of her chamber.

"We fought our way through to that side, didn't we?" Geldar asked her.

"Yes," Talina asked and she realised what he was thinking. "Same strategy as Bloodraven?"

"Not quite," Geldar admitted. "Though with two of us on her she might not have enough space to cast properly."

"Go then," Talina conceded and he was off.

Geldar ran past the corpses of the fallen and jumped through a wall of flames, he then skidded to a stop outside the door. Talina was on the other side, she nodded to him and they both entered.

He was on her in a flash, jumping aside the fire walls she cast in his path, he flashed his sword and aimed at her middle. She fought him back, her blood-stained sword smashed against his shield which he launched remorselessly at her face.

White with fury Countess Cybelle roared, she sounded more like a wild animal than a human. But Talina was ready for her, knocking her back with her javelin she stabbed several times, each stab emitting crackling bolts of lighting. The Countess roared and slashed at her but Talina's counterattack knocked the sword out of her hands and skittering across the room.

Geldar picked it up and cut the struggling Countess's throat. She died with a gurgle, mist rising from her body as she fell. It swirled around the room and stopped upon a chest in the exact centre. The chest burst open, it was filled with gold.

"We'll take this back to the rogues," Geldar said when he noticed Talina eyed it greedily.

"What?" Talina asked blankly.

"You've got enough," Geldar reminded her. "The sisters have lost so much."

"Please tell me," Talina said, almost begging. "That you are being sarcastic."

"I'm not," Geldar replied.

They had to abandon the chest and take the gold up in their packs; it was not very heavy, just impossible to get up the ladder. Talina was silent as they walked but Geldar didn't talk to her. He was actually disgusted with her; he thought she was above such mundane things. But that was before she showed him her medallion.

The rogues appreciated the gesture though, even though Kashya didn't find it tasteful. Nevertheless she sent rogues out to tell caravans that they could trade. Any opportunity must be taken, Cain told Geldar and Warriv that night at the campfire.

Geldar smiled, he had finished his dinner and was studying Warriv's map. They were closer to the Monastery than they had thought, less than half a day's march in fact. He mentioned this to Charsi when he went to get his gear repaired and she looked quite interested in this.

"When we left the Monastery in a hurry I left behind my Horadric Malus, my enchanted smithing hammer," she said, looking over the corselet to see how she could repair it. "When you're in the Monastery try and find it and I'll use to enchant some of your equipment."

"Horadric?" Geldar asked. "As in the Horadrim? As in Deckard Cain?"

"Yes," she said. "He should know more about the magic behind it than I do," she looked up at him and smiled. "This won't take long to repair, it should be ready by the morning."

"Thank you," he said and went to find Talina, she was less than impressed.

"Finding a hammer?" She asked indignantly. "What are we? Porters or fighters?"

"Leave it for now," Geldar advised. "We can set out tomorrow for the Monastery, if we find the Malus all the better."

"Fine," Talina said and she stormed off before he could reply.

"Finding it hard?" Geldar heard Warriv ask. "I personally could never understand women myself."

"But you're in a camp full of them," Geldar pointed out as he sat down near the fire.

"True," the merchant said as he loaded up the fire for the night.

"Charsi was telling me about a special smithing hammer," Geldar said to Deckard Cain. "By the name of a Horadric Malus."

"Ah yes," Cain said. "That was entrusted to the rogues years ago by the Horadrim. Restoring it to them would greatly aid our cause."

"Talina thinks it's demeaning," Geldar said.

"She would," the sage replied. "But you have to remember what kind of society she comes from. In her people roles are defined by gender. Women fight and men take care of administrative matter."

"That's absurd!" Geldar said. "I'm used to women ruling things in this camp but that goes far beyond belief."

"I call it adaptation," Cain replied. "I haven't been to the Amazon Islands, though friends of mine have. It is quite different from the peoples of the west."

"And different from places like…Kurast?" Geldar asked.

"Different again," Cain said. "I'm not sure if we'll eventually get to Kurast, though it depends on how far the Wanderer gets before he frees his brothers." He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Might I ask you when you were last in the east?" Geldar asked. "I can tell from your colouring and your manner you are not entirely native."

"I am descended from Jered Cain," the old man replied with a smile. "My ancestor charged himself and his descendants with protecting the town from evil, I am sorry to say I have failed."

"Don't blame yourself so," Geldar cautioned. "Who is to say that we are all puppets in the hands of the divine?"

"I will think on your words strongly," Cain said with a smile. "Though I do wish I advised the Wanderer on the forms of manipulation the Lord of Terror had at his disposal. That is my failure," he was silent for a time and then smiled at the Paladin. "Though when I was last in the East I was no older than you yourself. I had it within me to see the world, my family wanted to settle down but I wasn't for that. I travelled in a caravan to Lut Gholein and then across the Twin Seas to Kurast," he smiled reflecting on his memory.

"People say Lut Gholein is the jewel of the desert," Geldar said. "I say so too but I also say Kurast is the fair queen of cities. It is several years since I was there."

"And far much longer since I was there," Cain said. "And now again we are headed East and all I want to do is return to my home."

"Talina wants to take you to her people," Geldar said.

"Yes, I am aware of it," Cain said. "And you must find your nephew of course. But perhaps events will not turn out as we predict. Even magic is an inexact science."

"All the plans I have made since coming west," Geldar confided as Warriv began to get ready for the night. "Have depended on the next step I was to take, so many times that next step had pushed me in another direction."

"Are we not all in the hands of Fate?" Cain asked him with a smile.


	14. Chapter XIII

Chapter XIII 

"That's it up ahead," Geldar said and nodded to the Monastery in the distance. "Towards the north is the gate for the caravans, it would be closed of course now."

There were on the edge of the Tamoe Highlands, the air was very brisk and they jogged to keep warm. It was quite a large building, almost taking up the entire space between the two mountains. There were towers, minarets and in the background Talina thought she could see a stained-glass window.

They were almost at the doors when they stopped. Advancing towards them was a phalanx of corrupt rogues carrying pikes. Talina threw with all her might a javelin that turned to a bolt of lightning when it left her hand. It felled some of the rogues, scattering others and she reached for another weapon.

Geldar didn't wait for her to move, he ran straight towards the group brandishing his sword and yelling. He swung it this way and that, building up speed as he slashed his way towards the leader. The next moment the entire group was covered in a green cloud, but Geldar ignored it as he was quite used to it by now. Within a few minutes he had killed the last one and he wiped his sword on the grass.

"A welcoming committee," Talina said dryly. "Come on, we need to get these doors open."

The doors opened rather easy which was odd, but they ignored this as they glanced around the Outer Cloister. All seemed clear so they proceeded further.

"The waypoint," Talina said and together they ran towards it, killing several warped ones on the way. "At least we can get back if it comes to worse." Talina said and she carefully approached a door.

"Cain said that the Malus would be in the barracks," Geldar said.

"We need to cleanse the Monastery," Talina told him and she touched the handle. "That means killing everything in it."

"I know," Geldar said as Talina pulled the door open.

There came the familiar low roar that sent Geldar and Talina on the defensive and the Wendigos were upon them. Very slow but very strong, Geldar got a few blows before the group of four were on the ground.

"Too much carnage," Geldar said over the corpses and he had to run to keep up with Talina.

They faced foe after foe, skeletons, demons and more and more corrupt rogues. It was late afternoon when they had found the barracks. They stoped, sitting on the grass in the courtyard drinking water, the entire area had been 'cleansed' and the air was full of flies.

"Charsi said this morning there's a way to the cathedral through the barracks," Geldar said. "Normally they went through some sort of tunnel but it's blocked, we have to go through the jail."

"Jail?" Talina asked.

"Three levels of it and we're in the Inner Cloister," Geldar replied. "Not that they kept many prisoners at a time. Twenty years ago there was a war and they were almost full, the night the Monastery fell there were some still there. I guess no one had the time to free them."

"Corruption or starvation," Talina mused. "Which is a better fate?"

"Or a better death?" Geldar queried. "Give me death by the sword any day."

"I'll remember that," Talina said and they were off again.

The barracks were crawling with vermin; several times Talina had to shut the door just so the demons they were fighting could be contained. And of course there was the never ending twisting of corridors and dead ends that almost got them killed several times. Yet it made sense as they were closing in on Andariel.

"A question," Talina asked when they stopped inside a room for the moment. "What would they want with the Malus?"

"I couldn't tell you," Geldar replied.

"Well what would you want with an enchanted hammer then?" Talina demanded.

"Well to use it, I guess," Geldar replied. "Or to find someone who could…" he paused in mid-sentence and suddenly understood.

"We'll have to kill him, whoever is guarding it," Talina said.

"What's this, I thought you were against going for the Malus?" Geldar asked.

"I changed my mind," Talina said. "And a magic item doesn't sound so bad."

"You decided to be practical," Geldar said but there was no response.

Nothing could have prepared them for what they faced in the forge. The place with full of light and Geldar could tell it was once the burning heart of the order, yet that was all forgotten once the monster as upon them. A monster he called the Smith in thought.

He of course had heard about hellforges and about the demonic weapons they had made their. He had heard about their keepers, called overlords and very strong but very slow.

"Get him from behind!" Geldar called and he ran straight at the Smith with his shield in front of him, in an instant he was sprawled on the floor and the smith stood over him with a raised fist and murder in his eyes. "Please," he begged to no one in particular. "Not now."

There came a war cry and the smith turned to dodge Talina's flying javelin. She fought fiercely, yelling incomprehensible words at the overlord as she advanced with her javelin ahead of her. Geldar was on his feet before Talina began advancing back at the Smith's attack.

There was an instant when Geldar and the Smith collided, Geldar raised his sword to cut off the overlord's head but he missed. Talina was next to him, pressing hard on the attack as they back him into a corner. Geldar concentrated and send out a powerful Mind Blast that had the monster stunned for a few seconds. That was all the time he needed to sink his sword into the creature's chest.

"Thanks," Geldar said once he had gotten his breath back. "That was near."

"Don't mention it," Talina said and she walked towards the forge and came back carrying something in her hands.

"What's that?" Geldar asked.

"It's the Malus," she replied. "From the looks of this they were planning an attack on the camp. We just got here in time."

"Even so," Geldar said as they walked out. "It is good to have luck, at least once."

Charsi was beside herself when she saw that they had the Malus, she turned it over and over in her hands before asking them if they wanted anything imbued. She pointed to her wares and asking them to make a choice.

"Really, we shouldn't…" Geldar said.

"Oh, I insist," Charsi said.

"Very well," Geldar said and he chose a metal helm, if he wound a better one the one he chose here would fetch a good price.

Talina picked up a pair of chain gloves, saying shields could be improved and javelins were too numerous to imbue. They then left Charsi to do her work and walked towards Warriv's campfire. Deckard Cain approached them, he looked pleased to see them but there was something else behind his expression.

"I joy to hear of your success," Cain said. "But your final quest awaits you."

"I knew as much," Geldar replied.

"It is certain we face the demon queen Andariel who has corrupted the rogue sisterhood and defiled their ancestral Monastery," he paused and looked at both of them. "This does not bode well for us my friends. Ancient Horadric texts record that Andariel and the other Lesser Evils one over three with three Prime Evils – Diablo, Mephisto and Baal – banishing them from Hell to our world. Here they caused mankind untold anguish and suffering before they were finally bound within the Soulstones."

He paused again, Talina and Geldar had heard this story, but hearing it from the lips of a Horadric sage made it all the more terrible, and all the more true.

"Andariel's presence here could mean that the forces of Hell are once again allied behind Diablo and his brothers. If this is true," he said in a low clear voice. "Then I fear for us all. You must kill her before the Monastery becomes a permanent outpost of Hell and the way east lost forever."

"Stay a moment," Geldar said. "A place here could become an outpost of Hell?"

"That was what happened in Tristram," Cain replied. "It can easily happen again from what Akara told me."

"Once we get this through we can go east," Talina said. "There will be nothing to block the pass and I must return to Philios, and you must come with me noble sir."

"I will go to any assistance that may be required," Cain said. "But as Geldar and I were talking about last night, we may not even get there."

"There will have to be something rather big to prevent it," Talina argued. "I'm going to talk to Kashya, she's actually faced Andariel."


	15. Chapter XIV

Chapter XIV 

Everyone in the camp was up that morning to see them off to fight Andariel; even Gheed had a few words of encouragement before they left. Kashya looked at Geldar with the same stony silence she had commended him with all the time he had been there. Charsi smiled as she handed them their finished items and wished them luck. Silverdart offered to go with before Kashya prevented it. Warriv said a few words before busying himself with the caravan and there were many rogues who wished them well or smiled encouragingly. Near the waypoint were Akara and Cain smiling at the two heroes as they approached.

"While I can offer no combat help," Cain said after they bid him goodbye. "I will tell you this, while Andariel was conceived in the burning Hell, she is not fond of fire."

"I will commend your advice, noble sir," Geldar said.

"Many we have lost to Andariel," Akara said, her face very white under her purple cloak. "Keep your wits about you, some of our best warriors and most loved…" she paused to compose herself but changed her track. "If she can corrupt us, she can corrupt you. Remember that my friends."

And with these words in their ears Talina and Geldar stepped onto the waypoint and vanished. When they were gone Cain noticed how white Akara looked.

"Go and sit down M'lady," he said. "You trial yourself too hard."

"I am only afraid," Akara said as she edged towards her tent. "That we have sent them to their deaths."

"Have faith," Cain reassured.

"I have scarcely any left," Akara replied and she was gone.

Fighting their way through the barracks, Talina and Geldar finally came upon the entrance to the jail. A strong gate sent in the ground with a set of steps going down.

"There's three levels, Kashya told me," Talina said. "Then we're near the Cathedral."

"And from there it's four levels down to Andariel," Geldar replied. "Charsi told me as much."

Talina approached the gate and tried to open it.

"It's locked," she said and peered down. "They keys are on the other side."

"It's a wonder they didn't get out," Geldar said standing beside her.

"It's not that easy to escape," Talina cautioned. "And the jail is quite large."

Very well, Geldar said and he slammed the lock with the flat of his sword. The lock broke and the door opened.

"How did you do that?" Talina asked.

"Trick I learned in Kingsport," Geldar said. "It comes into usefulness at times."

They slowly descended the ladder into the jail, Geldar went down first but on arriving he flattened himself to the floor to avoid the arrows. He saw Talina drop beside him and she was getting out one of her javelins. Geldar rolled onto his back and onto his feet, casting Holy Bolt through the bars of the cage to the skeletons on the other side. Some of the balls of energy impacted on the bars, but several more found their mark along with Talina's javelins.

When they were on their own again Geldar walked over to the table and got out a large ring of keys. He then lit the lamp there and held it out in front of him.

"It's like a maze," Geldar said, trying to see some sort of exit.

"Can you see a way out?" Talina asked.

"It's too dark," Geldar answered and he looked around where they were. "There are three doors here, we'll just have to trust out instincts."

"Open that one," Talina said and pointed to the door at the far end.

"Any reason?" Geldar asked.

"None at all," Talina replied.

It took several tries but Geldar managed to unlock the door, he handed the lantern to Talina saying it was no use one of them having both the keys and the light if they were attacked. The cell they were in led to another one, and another, and another from that; all deserted except for the bodies of tortured and emaciated prisoners.

"Wait," Geldar stopped walking and he listened to the silence, there was something not right. "Over there," he said and pointed to where a group of blue shapes were coming towards them.

"Can they go through walls?" Talina asked.

"Looks like it," Geldar said. "Out with the light!"

For a few seconds they were in total darkness, and then the apparitions slowly began to glow. They rasped as they flew, coming down low over Katana and Geldar as they tried to fend them off. In a few minutes there was nothing but a pile of bones and darkness.

"Light it up again," Geldar said. "I can see the exit from here."

"Are you sure we've gone over the whole area?" Talina asked.

"No," Geldar replied. "But there's no sure way of telling that we have anyway."

"Fair enough," Talina conceded and they headed in the direction Geldar specified.

Within a few hours they had stopped to rest near the waypoint having killed many undead on the way. As they ate Talina suddenly started to think of the stories that she had heard when she was growing up. Of tiny men with knives that ran around and cut your feet off, of vampires who would suck the life out of you or spew poison in your face.

"Relax," Geldar said noticing her fearful expression. "You have to keep your feelings guarded in places like this."

"And what would you know?" Talina demanded.

"I used to take part in cleansing villages of the unfaithful," Geldar said. "Some would call it murder or arson but I didn't let myself think along those lines. It plagues the soul."

"I call it avoiding guilt," Talina rebuked.

"Call it what you will," Geldar said as he got to his feet. "But I will be glad to be out of this place."

It took longer to get through the third level, perhaps because they were deeper in the ground but there seemed to be any amount of skeletons, wraiths and a few corrupt rogues but they were rarer now. Eventually they fought their way to the exit and were out in the night air.

"I'm for going on," Talina said. "How about you?"

"Even the wisest man took time to reach his knowledge," Geldar reminded her. "But if we are going to go on I'll need to change my aura."

"This one is bad enough as it is," Talina said, looking at the spikes that surrounded her. "I try and land a good hit but it hits back faster than I can."

"This one is purely healing," Geldar said. "It will give us energy, trust me."

"Normally I wouldn't trust anyone who said those words," Talina said with a wry grin. "But it's not like we have any choice."

"Very well," Geldar said and he closed his eyes, when he opened them both he and Talina were surrounded by clouds of blue light. "It absorbs any damage and give it to our bodies," he explained.

"And?" Talina asked, she knew there was something more behind this.

"It also keeps you awake," Geldar replied. "The Cathedral is still ahead."


	16. Chapter XV

Chapter XV 

But as with everything they had come across the Cathedral was well guarded. Right at the door stood a group of corrupt rogues; all were a deep red colour and were carrying spears. Their leader looked near to insanity but she held her ground with a fearsome fanaticism.

"Get the minions," Talina told Geldar. "But the leader is mine."

There was the rush of running feet and the slash of steel as they fought. Geldar managed to cut a few down but Talina was pressing towards the leader. He knew enough by now not to argue with her and instead killed the rogues that were intent on attacking her. When they were done he stepped back and wiped the blood of his sword, but he still kept it out in case.

Talina and her opponent circled, slashing, fending but neither of them managed to land a hit on the other. Talina let out a great cry and violently stabbed the rogue, her javelin shattering in the process. She went to her pack for another while slamming the rogue in the face with her shield. Then she attacked again, holding the javelin in both hands and knocking the rogue to the ground, a quick stab and it was over.

"Well done," Geldar said as he stepped forward.

"I thought I lost for a moment," Talina said. "When my impale move didn't work."

"Just a minute," he looked over the rogue's body and he picked up her spear, on the side of it was inscribed: Redbane. "Curious," Geldar said and he dropped the spear.

"Let's keep on," Talina said and she crossed the courtyard to the huge double doors of the Cathedral. "Get ready to run," she said and she opened them slowly.

Their action caused the building to be flooded with moonlight, and this was enough to entice a group of skeletons to advance upon them. At the rear one of them, slightly green in colour, shot of green balls of energy.

"Poison," Talina said. "But Andariel should be worse than this."

"Fall back," Geldar said. "Let them come out."

Talina threw several lightning bolts as she withdrew and Geldar cast Holy Bolt. This brought several of the skeletons down but it couldn't deter their leader. Geldar charged straight at him and bashed him with his shield, while he was stunned Geldar swapped his sword for his flail and attacked the skeleton's midsection.

He was about to attack again when there was a cloud of green smoke around him, at first he thought it was just Talina's javelin but she was on the other side engaging another skeleton. Geldar found it hard to breath but he ignored that feeling, attacking again and again before the skeleton fell in a heap of bones.

"You look a bit pale," Talina said and she pressed a small bottle of black liquid into his hand. "I got this from Akara as she thought we might need it. It's for poison."

Geldar willingly drank the antidote, even though the liquid was thick and tasted foul, and haded the empty bottle back to Talina. She put it back in her pack and smiled as she saw Geldar's colour returning.

"Keep on," Geldar said and he walked into the Cathedral.

As they fought their way through Talina found it hard to keep from crying out from all the desecration she saw. The pews were askew and the tapestries were torn and bloodied. In the centre of the Cathedral stood giant cauldrons filled with blood. In one anteroom was the corpse of a beautiful woman, despite her demonic features as a result of corruption.

"This must be Galena, Akara's daughter," Talina said as she looked around the room. "Kashya said they were like sisters and she was forced to kill her."

"Such times make a man wont to slay his brother," Geldar said rather sadly. "Lets leave this room; it's full of bad energy."

"This whole place is," Talina said but she followed Geldar out the door.

They walked across the floor to see a small staircase set in the wall, it led down.

"That must be it," Talina said and she looked down cautiously. "It smells of brimstone down there."

"But down there we must go," Geldar said. "You tired? It must be nearly midnight."

"Not at all," Talina said.

"Good," Geldar replied and they descended the stairs.

The catacombs were dark and stank of decay, they were also quite warm. But Talina and Geldar weren't given anytime to relax. On them immediately were several large spiders, they threatened Geldar with their large fangs while Talina was fighting one of the webs that threatened to strangle her.

"You ready to go on," Geldar asked when the encounter had finished.

Talina nodded, she didn't want to admit it to Geldar but she was a bit tired. They cautiously advanced, sliding along the wall and retreating back when they encountered enemies. More spiders, vampires now and again as well as the usual skeletons and shamans with their minions as well as tiny bats with sharp knives. All the stuff of Talina's nightmares.

There really was no means of discerning the time and even Geldar was beginning to feel tired. Still they pressed on, resting whenever they had the chance. Each of the levels were quite large and there was danger around every corner but when it was done they went down, the air getting fouler and warmer as they descended.

At long last they arrived at the stairs that led down to the fourth level and Geldar called to a halt.

"We can't kill Andariel like this," he said. "You have a few hours sleep and I'll watch, then we'll swap and be refreshed for the battle."

Normally Talina would have fought this, even with words. But she felt relieved and curled up in her cloak and was asleep in a moment. For a few minutes Geldar watched her and then walked around the room to keep himself awake.

It was strange but this reminded him of his hunt in the jungles around Kurast with Lemnar before they had been made Paladins. They got lost on the return journey and it was unthinkable to stop and rest. In their wanderings they had stumbled across a village hidden deep in the jungle where women were practising spells. Curiosity had led them to enter the village and immediately be apprehended by the sentries. They had stumbled across a Zann Esu encampment.

They had only escaped by swearing an oath on each others lives that they would never betray the location, not that either of them knew the way to begin with. One of the sorceresses had guided them to the edge of the jungle and reminded them before leaving of their vow. Such things were very important to the sorceresses as was secrecy. He and Lemnar had never even spoken of it and returned to the Temple City without their kill.

"Time to get up now," Geldar said gently and Talina stirred to life. "Nothing to report," the Paladin said as he pulled his cloak close around him and went to sleep.


	17. Chapter XVI

Chapter XVI 

"She will live," Akara announced with a smile. "I was studying poisons just before we were overrun. It was a near thing I did."

"She'll be able to fight?" Geldar asked anxiously.

"Yes, but you won't if you don't let me attend to that wound," Akara said.

"I can heal myself," the Paladin said stubbornly. "Have you told Deckard Cain?"

"The whole camp knows," said the Horadric sage as he entered the tent. "Gheed is praising your exploits to the skies; Kashya says she had found trust in some outlanders; Warriv is more than pleased to be packing for the journey."

"And you?" Geldar asked.

"I'm telling you to get some rest," Cain said. "You needn't worry and you'll know the instant when she wakes."

"I can't leave her," Geldar said but he obligingly leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, within seconds he was snoring.

The next afternoon Talina was awake and wanted to get going. According to her they had wasted enough time as it was. But she willingly accepted to be a part of the grand procession back to the Monastery. Akara was in the lead followed by Kashya and several rogue warriors. Behind them rode Geldar, Talina and Deckard Cain. Other caravans aside from Warriv's and Gheed's were on the road with them, the word having got out that the passage east was open again.

When they finally got there they camped outside, Akara resolving not to let outsiders in until the place was properly cleansed. She supervised the operation herself and it was a day and a night before they doors were opened again and the gate was opened for caravans.

Gheed made his goodbyes, taking letters and merchandise with him but no one was disappointed to se that back of him, with the exception of Charsi. Cain convinced Warriv to stay an extra night as the rogues wanted to honour Geldar and Talina specially.

With his armour cleaned and sparkling, Geldar walked beside Talina along the long red carpet of the Cathedral. It wasn't quite as full as it used to be but Akara was confident that within time there would be new recruits. The sensations of what had been before were still there, the evil mixed with the pain and of course anguish. Yet it added to the atmosphere rather than detracted from it, it was as if the rogues had earned their right to have their ancestral home back after so much had happened.

Akara stood at the top of a dais; she wore a long purple gown embroidered with stars. At her side was Kashya who wore her ceremonial armour. Looking behind, Geldar could see Cain in a front pew, he wore a new blue robe but his wallet and stick were still the same.

"We owe you a debt we can never repay," Akara said and the gathering rumbled to silence. "Though as tokens of our gratitude we present you with these. They are small compared to what you have done for us but we do hope you find them useful in the adventures yet to come."

Talina was given a bow they named Blastbark which she was sure Kashya had tested herself. Geldar was gifted with heavy belt that was named Goldwrap.

As was customary following the ceremony there was a feast, but Geldar didn't feel part of it. He took a goblet of wine and sat outside and watched the stars.

"Geldar!" Someone called and he turned to notice Talina approach him. "I was just told by Warriv, none to pleasantly might I add, that he wanted an early start tomorrow."

"I figured that," Geldar said, tipping his goblet and letting the wine spill on the ground. "I was thinking of turning in, besides," he looked around as if he expected there to be more vermin. "I still don't feel entirely safe here."

"You've been fighting too long," Talina said. "Thank you."

"For what?" Geldar asked, he noticed with surprise that Talina was standing quite near me.

"You saved my life," she said. "Akara told me as such, if you hadn't gotten me out of there…"

"You're the one who actually slew Andariel," Geldar reminded her.

"But if you weren't there…" Talina said and she smiled.

"I'd best be off," Geldar said and he made a quick retreat.

As Geldar lay in his bed and reflected on what had happened he wondered what could have occurred had he not left Talina in such a hurry. He pondered this, could it have happened? He shook his head and put the thought from his mind as he closed his eyes, it wouldn't do to think on things like that.

The next morning they set off with quite a ceremony, Geldar was still thinking of it as he sat next to Warriv in the caravan. Generally there was only room for two but the merchant had traded some items with the rogues in order to have room for his two other passengers.

They were silent as the horses pulled them up through the pass, he had insisted Geldar sit up front for protection but it was actually quite beneficial. He remembered travelling west from along this road nearly a year ago, he had received word that his brother had officially left the Order of the Zakarum but he wished his son Sinclair to be instructed in their ways. The pair had gone west when the threat of Diablo loomed and Geldar was journeying to meet his brother.

They never met, he had encountered Sinclair at an inn who told him that Lemnar had left for Tristram and it was no use trying to find him. After finishing business in Kingsport they were to return to the east until that fateful night in Duncraig. So he was returning east again, and without Sinclair.

"We'll stop soon to water the horses but they'll have to be changed soon enough," Warriv said, the merchant's frank tones brought him back to the present.

"Didn't you say there was an inn up here?" Geldar asked.

"The Last Stand Inn," Warriv replied. "Burnt to the ground I heard, we should be there before dark."

"And then it's a good month on to Lut Gholein," Geldar replied, remembering again his journey.

"Before that we'll have to get camels," Warriv answered as the entered a valley. "Here we are, this will do for now." He slapped the reins, the horses stopped and he pulled a lever next to him so the caravan wouldn't roll. "All out, stretch your legs," Warriv announced, sliding down from his seat and leading the horses to the stream.

Talina looked rather stiff as she emerged from the back of the caravan; she smiled at Geldar though and flung herself on the grass. He walked up to her and poked her with the toe of his boot.

"There's still evil out there," Geldar warned her.

And as if in response they heard the low moan of Wendigo that sent him running onto the road and looking in both directions. Talina soon followed him, her javelin was out. Geldar turned around again and drew his sword.

There was a rumbling in the bushes and two of them were on him, he cut them down the best as he could but he waved Talina back, she needed to defend the caravan. Sure enough on the other side of road two more of them emerged. Talina threw her javelin and one of them fell, as he did she planted a dagger firmly in the chest of the other and gave it a twist. Geldar walked up to her with a smile on his face.

"They've gone," he announced. "But there's bound to be more out there."

Within a few minutes he was once again seated beside Warriv in the rocking caravan. But this time he had his sword within easy reach.

As promised they arrived at the burnt-out in at sunset. Talina stayed with the caravan while Geldar looked over the wreckage. He saw among the corpses the remains of skeletons as well as some carcasses of some demonic slug-like thing.

Disgusted he was about to go back when he noticed something, he wasn't sure what it was but it made him lift up a few pieces of wood and poke his hand around in the ash. He had hold of something hard rather long and pulled it out. It was a sword. He was amazed; as he went back to the caravan he spat on his hand and tried to rub the ash off the hilt it was unmistakeable. With a smile he offered it to Deckard Cain.

"This is a very good sign," the old man said after having cleaned off some of the ash and dirt and examined it. "You find the scabbard, you find the sword. Good forces are clearly at work."

"So it's unmistakable?" Geldar asked and the sage nodded.

"The slayer of Diablo first wielded this sword even though what he slew corrupted him," Cain said as he handed it back. "Use it for the forces of good again, there is no higher calling."

Geldar smiled as he turned the sword over and over in his hands. An ordinary broad sword was worth quite a bit of sword, but this one was forged to kill demons and would be worth much more. But that wasn't what excited him.

"By Akarat," he said as he polished the sword with the pumice stone "This blade was made to slay the forces of darkness and so it shall again."

In the dying light of the day the blade shone like solid silver in Geldar's hands. He smiled, even if he failed in his duty in the Church of Light he would have done something right.


	18. Act II Part I

**Act II**

**Prologue**

Satya entered Jerryn's chamber, trailing behind her the hem of a transparent silk scarf of a deep purple colour. It almost covered her completely, ending just below her waist where the folds of the fabric hid what was beneath not all too modestly.

She smiled at the Sultan, playing with her dark hair that fanned over her shoulders and fell past her hips. Smiling softly at him, she put a foot onto the couch on which he lay and touched Jerryn's bare chest.

Jerryn merely smiled as the well-practiced girl did her work, unlike some of the other girls of the Harem Guild, he was not required to contribute to add to the moment. Instead he just lay there, basking in the pleasure and letting it well up inside him until it exploded in a fiery fervour.

She caressed the scarf, removing it from her body and draping it across his face. She then let it fall from her grasp leaving it in a pile on the floor

"You work too hard," Satya purred in his ear as she ran her long fingers through his hair. "Here," she said, putting her hands on his shoulders and straddling his chest with her bare legs. "I need to make you forget…"

Her words ended as she kissed his mouth, forehead and eyelids, she was just tracing her tongue down his neck when one of his servants burst into the room. At first, he ignored them, then when he realised they weren't going away he regarded the man almost lazily.

"Can't you see that I'm a little busy?" Jerryn said as Satya's tongue was nearing his navel.

"My Lord, there is a matter of extreme importance," the servant said.

"Who says?" Jerryn asked as Satya laid her head on his abdomen.

"Drognan the Sorcerer," the servant said.

"I'll see to this presently," Jerryn said, picking up his robe from the floor where he had discarded it.

"He is waiting for you in the library," the servant said. "Shall I conduct you there?"

"Nothing of the sort," Jerryn said as he tied the sash of his robe, he gestured to Satya. "See that this lady is well provided for until I return."

"Of course, My Lord," the servant said with a bow.

Drognan was studying a star-chart when Jerryn entered and only looked up when the young lord of Lut Gholein sat down. As always, Drognan had the maddening habit of making one aware that it was an honour to be in his presence when rather in Jerryn's case it was the other way around. All the same, Jerryn considered Drognan his most trusted advisor, even though Drognan was much, much more than that.

"What seems to be the trouble?" Jerryn asked finally.

"Examine this," Drognan said, gesturing to the star-chart.

"I'm sorry," Jerryn said, looking at the lines and calculations made between the planets. "But I don't understand this."

"For the past three nights Kreios, the Lord of War, has been advancing," Drognan said, pointing to a marked star. "It is set to correspond with Metis, the Maiden of Love in precisely three nights from now."

"So?" Jerryn asked confusedly.

"I've consulted our annals," Drognan went on, gesturing to the pile of books on the table. "And such an event occurs only ahead of times of calamity. The last was two hundred and sixty years ago when Tal Rasha imprisoned the Lord of Destruction, there were other of course before that but the ones that strikes most is the betrayal of Horazon to the Vizjerei."

"So what are we to make of this?" Jerryn said. "You informed me several months ago that Diablo was freed from his imprisonment in Tristram, and then we heard word last full moon that he was slain. I believe that a time of calamity is over."

"If these read correct," Drognan said solemnly. "It is only just beginning."

"I'll take note of your warning," Jerryn said, getting up and walking to the window. "But I can't let this get out, even if it does come true. I can't let them panic, you must understand that."

"Since when have you had to tell me to hold my tongue?" Drognan said lightly, gathering his star-chart. "If you want me, you know where to find me."

Jerryn stood at the window for a while, watching the sun set over the sea. Was what Drognan saying true? It was a possibility, after all what the old sorcerer said was not to be taken lightly. Still, it seemed improbably that trouble of that magnitude could come to this city.

"My Lord?" asked a servant, bowing as he addressed him. "Shall I serve your meal in here?"

"No," Jerryn said, stepping away from the window. "I'll be in the dining room presently, ask Satya if she might have the pleasure of dining with me."

"Of course," said the servant, bowing again then retreating.

Jerryn hastened to his chamber, he had matters of state to see to after he ate, before his looked forward to evening of pleasure with Satya.

"What was Drognan so anxious to see you about?" Satya asked archly.

"Nothing of your concern," Jerryn replied shortly, indicating that she shouldn't ask anymore on the subject.

Satya picked at her food, her large breasts which weren't completely concealed being much the focal point for the servants who entered with the food and wine. There were no visitors of state that night, which was quite good as Jerryn did not have to worry about what his guest's agenda was. He could just enjoy the food, and the company…

Satya crossed the room, a plate of pallam fruit in her hands, she sat on the edge of his couch and held a quarter of the pink fruit in her fingers.

"Here," she said, holding it out to him. "Try some." She pushed the fruit between his lips.

"That's good," Jerryn said, relishing the combination of sweet and bitter tastes.

"Try some more," she said, placing some more on his tongue.

"I can feed myself, you know," he teased.

"Not like this," Satya said, placing a piece on her tongue and plunging it into his mouth.

"Mmm," Jerryn said with the miss finished, he licked his lips. "Very good," he said, he then signalled for a servant to pour him a tiny glass of styvel, a strong liqueur that was derived from a plant that lived in the Twin Seas.

As he examined the blue and gold liquid in his glass there was a flash of lightning and the crash of thunder outside. The shock of it made him drop the glass, sending it smashing on the floor.

"What was that?" Jerryn said, getting off the couch and walking to the window. "The rains must have come early this year, very odd."

But that wasn't all that was odd normally rain clouds came from the east, from the sea. But these clouds were massing in the west, and approaching the city rapidly.

It was going to be a wild night and Jali was touring the town, making sure everyone was prepared for it. Market stalls closed early fastening their shutters before heading home, Preshna the owner of the Harem Guild was heading from house to house making sure all her girls were back in time. Jali stopped at the Desert Rain before heading back to the public house, the Jewel of the City which he ran with his wife Atma.

"Everyone here and accounted for?" He asked Elzix.

"Yes, and I sent Hara home a short while ago," the former bandit said. "He was hanging around several of our travellers until I told him what you would do if you found him here."

"I'll have a word with my son when I get home," Jali said sternly. "Have a good night."

"Same to you," Elzix said, following Jali to the door and shutting it firmly behind him when he left.

On the way back home he passed Drognan who was putting the last of his wares inside, being a chivalrous sort Jali stopped to help.

"Do you know why this squall has come up suddenly?" He asked the old sorcerer.

"No, it's very odd," Drognan said as they placed staves on a table in his house. "You'd better get along now."

"You sure you don't want to shelter with us at the Jewel?" Jali asked over the din of the wind.

"I think I'll be a lot safer here on my own than with a roomful of beggars and drunkards," Drognan said lightly.

"There you are," Atma put her arms around him after she opened the door. "You're just in time, what kept you?"

"I was seeing to everyone's welfare," Jali said as he slammed the door shut and bolted it.

"You should start worrying about your own welfare," Atma said, kissing him on the cheek.

She was very beautiful his wife and could very well contend among the women who frequented Jerryn's palace. The Jewel had been in her family for generations and it was purely by chance that he had met her on his way east. She had made him very happy even if the fifteen year old Hara was to be their only child.

"Have you seen Hara?" Jali said, getting behind the bar and checking the supply of wine and ale.

"He's…somewhere," Atma said, casting her eye across the room. "He should be here, he was a while ago."

"What?" Jali slammed the tankard he was holding on the bar with a bang. "He isn't here? Elzix last saw him and sent him home."

"Well he said he had to go out," Atma said, heading for the kitchen to check on the soup. "He should be back by now. Or he would have found shelter, perhaps he is staying with Fara."

"I don't think so," Jali said, coming out from behind the bar and going to fetch his cloak. "I'm going to find him."

"Jali," Atma said with a tremor in her voice. "You can't possibly go out in THAT?" She gestured to the window to the pouring rain and blowing sand coupled with lightning and thunder.

"It's not like I have a choice," he said, kissing her cheek and heading for the door. "I won't be long," he promised, closing the door behind him.

Hara ran ahead of the caravan with a torch in his hand, behind him the merchant led his camels at a pace slower than walking. Yet their only chance lay in the city ahead. He had heard from Elzix that a caravan was expected that evening and he had just spotted it from the walls of the city just as the storm was coming in. On either side were Nefar and Polrax, two of Griez's mercenaries who had willingly volunteered to help him intercept the caravan.

They were just nearing the gates of Lut Gholein when a lone figure in a dark cloak approached them.

"Idiot boy," said a gentle voice very much like his fathers. "Your mother and I have been worried sick."

"Well would you let these poor people die?" Hara said, gesturing to the merchant and his assistant quickly entering the city.

"Come home and have some dinner," Jali said curtly, pulling him along the street. "Nefar and Polrax can see to the caravan."

Once inside Jali insisted that his son change clothes before they all sat down to eat in their dwelling above the pub. The serving maids could handle the mob below and would call the moment it might become rowdy.

"That was a foolish thing you did son," Jali said. "Brave, yet foolish."

"Aren't many brave things foolish, father?" Hara asked with a smug smile.

"Yes," Jali said. "But before you think of running out into the desert in the middle of a storm, you should perhaps think of your poor mother back home."

"Jali, you're exaggerating," Atma said gently. "I knew Hara was fine, I wasn't worried at all."

"I'm just trying tell him about the dangers that we face," Jali reminded her. "Now if we lived in Kurast or in the West we wouldn't have this."

"I know, you've told me many times," Atma said. "But I'm happy here, so is Hara aren't you? Can't you be?"

"You make it so much easier," Jali said, taking her hand across the table.

Jerryn stood at the top of the tower in his palace in the just before dawn, the storm had finally died down and the clouds had parted to reveal the breaking light of the dawn. He had left his bed and Satya's company to survey the damage on his city. It was minimal, despite a few old buildings that had suffered damage. Suddenly he spotted something on the horizon and called for a servant.

"Send for Vitran," he said to the servant.

"What seems to be the problem, My Lord?" His captain of the guards asked.

"There's someone out there," Jerryn said, pointing. "There, you can just make them out in the light. Two figures, I need you to intercept them."

"They could just be stragglers from the caravan that came in earlier," Vitran said sceptically.

"No, there were only two on that caravan," Jerryn replied. "They were expected and have been coming here for quite a while." He leaned over the side. "Intercept them, I don't like this. You don't have to detain them, simply ask them their business here"

"Yes, My Lord," Vitran said, bowing then retreating.

"Very odd," Jerryn said. "That any man, let alone two, could survive that storm we just suffered without shelter."

"Get up you sot," Atma shouted, poking the drunkard Geglash with the handle of her broom. "Get up!"

Geglash groaned and simply rolled onto his other side, tasting the sour liquid on his lips. In the end Atma had to call her husband and one of the serving men over to get the man to his feet and out the door.

"We gave him a long drink of water in the fountain," Jali announced when he returned. "How is everything?"

"Fine, now he has gone," Atma said, sweeping the grime and dirt of the evening before towards the door. "Someone came into the city early this morning, a man called Marrius called for food for his master."

"Who?" Jali asked, righting several chairs. "And who was this 'master' that he served?"

"He didn't say," Atma said, sweeping up fragments of glass. "He simply asked for food and he produced money, I gave him it and he left. He was from the West, I believe."

"From Tristram?" Jali asked, stopping in his work to glance at his wife.

"I don't know," Atma admitted. "He was very quiet, as if he had something on his mind. Have you seen Hara this morning?"

"No, I slept late and when I got up he had gone," Jali said. "What's wrong? You weren't worried last night when Hara was out in the storm."

"Call it what you will, but I am now," Atma said, putting down her broom.

"I'll finish helping you then I'll ask around," Jali promised. "Chances are he's at Elzix's, that's where he was all day yesterday."

Atma smiled weakly at him but she wasn't convinced.

Jerryn sat in his reception room, the traveller and his companion who had entered the city only a few short hours ago was already causing problems. Ever since the interview he had with him he sensed something…evil about this man. At first he had dismissed this notion as foolishness, then asked if Drognan could spare a few moments talking to their new arrival.

If Drognan's findings confirmed his own fears did this mean that his prediction could come true? That there were dark times ahead for him and all in Lut Gholein? What if…

His thoughts were cut off by Drognan entering the room, and by the expression on his face his news wasn't good.

"I don't know what to make of it," Drognan said bluntly without any formal salutations. "I think the best you can do is send them on their way."

If it had been anyone else Jerryn would have reprimanded them for lack of respect, but with Drognan he was lenient.

"That is exactly what I was thinking," Jerryn said. "Though I was acting within the bounds of hospitality to let Marrius and his companion into the city…I agree with you on not letting them stay. Tell me," Jerryn said thoughtfully. "Was this part of the prediction you told me?"

"Auguries are at best vague and suggestive," Drognan replied. "And any sage who tells you that this will be so and nothing can change it is both a liar and a fool. All the same," the old sorcerer said almost to himself. "I do not doubt that if this is not what was predicted, this may be what heralds it."

Jali found no trace of Hara in the town so he headed to the docks where he found Meshif in conversation with another sea captain named Asak. He knew Meshif as he had come around to the Jewel several times for supplies; he was anchored in Lut Gholein awaiting repairs while Asak was planning on setting sail as soon as he could.

"Meshif, you haven't seen my son, have you?" He asked after exchanging greetings.

"Aye, I saw they didn't listen."

"Thank you," Jali said. "I'll deal with him myself."

When Jali departed their conversation was interrupted again by a servant of Jerryn's approaching them.

"I come to ask a favour in Lord Jerryn's place," the servant said. "I suppose you have heard of our new arrivals, the man Marius and his unnamed companion?"

"I've heard several things," Asak said in a noncommittal tone.

"Lord Jerryn will pay you handsomely if you take them with you on your journey east," the servant replied.

"How much?" Asak asked, the servant named a figure and the man's eyebrow's raised in astonishment. "I'd be a fool not to say yes! Tell Lord Jerryn then that my ship sails on the next tide turn. I'll be waiting here at sunset."

"I will tell him," the servant said then left.

"Do you know why Jerryn wants these men out of the city?" Meshif asked.

"Probably some old fugitive or crime committed," Asak said with a shrug. "I'm not complaining, the gold is good and that's all that counts."

Jali was three levels below ground before he heard any trace of his son or his friends. What was Hara doing down here? Surely his son had matured further than looking for trouble as he used to do? Or perhaps it was his idle curiosity. Either way Hara was in for a stern lecture once he found him.

The unmistakeable sound of a child crying was heard near him, Jali took a few turns and found Hara's friend Taki, sitting by himself in the gloom. The boy's hands were covered in blood, his own.

"What happened, where's Hara?" Jali asked, wiping the boy's hands with a corner of his tunic.

"They've gone to rescue Ilo," Taki sobbed. "We were looking for her and Hara thought she was down here, we then followed her screams through the sewers and now HE'S got her!"

"Who?" Jali asked. "Who's got her?"

"That horrible man who spouts poison!" Taki said. "Hara said he wasn't afraid, but I stayed back when he slashed my hands."

Jali only just realised that the boy's wounds were festering with vermin. He took off his sash, tore it in two and bound the boy's hands up neatly.

"Get to the surface and see Atma," Jali told him. "Then get Griez and Vitran and send them down here."

"Yes sir," Taki said, running away.

Jali looked around for something he could use for a weapon, was there anything? He quickly grabbed a sword, the blade was a little rusty with the salt air but still sharp enough for his purpose. Before continuing he noticed something, there were many bones on the floor, more than the usual that accounted for drunkards who spent the night there and were eaten by rats.

Gathering up his courage he went into the darkness holding the sword ready.

Taki ran through the streets to the marketplace and almost ran headlong into Atma as she was coming out of the Jewel. She stared at Taki's bloodied hands and followed him into the square.

"What happened? Where's Hara?" Atma asked as Fara inspected the boy's wounds.

"This doesn't look good," Fara said seriously. "Where did you get this?"

"From a giant man with a large claw that spewed poison," Taki replied. "Jali said that he wanted Griez and Vitran to help him down there."

"I'll give them the message as soon as I'm finished with you," Fara promised.

"Taki, is Hara unharmed?" Atma asked.

"He is fine," Taki said promptly. "We went down there to save Ilo, they should be fine."

"Atma," Fara said, taking her arm gently. "I don't want to alarm you but I think your son is in danger. I'm going down with the men, you stay here with him."

"No, I want to…"

"You stay here with Taki," Fara said in a firm yet gentle voice.

Jali stood in the shadow, his sword ready as he peered around the corner. The creature that Taki described was in the next chamber, he had the bodies of Ilo as well as three of Hara's friends. Hara himself was crouching in a corner out of sight; Jali then noticed his son held a dagger.

"NO!" Jali shouted as Hara sprung on the creature, his weapon out. Jali wanted to help his son but his feet were stuck to the spot, he was paralysed by his fear.

At first the creature was taken by surprise and his son scored a few hit, but it took al of a few seconds for the creature to knock Hara to the floor and impale him with his single claw.

"NOOOOO!" Jali ran out with his rusty sword ready, swinging wildly in an effort to hit something, anything only harm the thing that had killed his only son.

The creature smiled and spewed a cloud of poisonous gas sending Jali reeling, almost blindly he lunged, wounding the being's torso and knocking him back. But the creature was faster, much, much faster than he was. With a stroke of his powerful claw he slashed Jali across the stomach and with his hand threw him from the room right into the path of Fara, Griez and the many others who had come to their rescue.

"We're too late!" Griez moaned as Fara tried to revive Jali.

"No, it's worse," Fara said, as the fiend began to construct himself an undead army. "We'd better get out of here."

"What about…" Griez said.

"RUN!" Fara shrieked as the undead army started towards them.

Some of the men tried to cut down a few of the skeletons but were quickly overcome. It was only a handful of others besides Fara, Griez and Vitran who emerged from the sewers.

Atma was there, wringing her hands and looking at the group hopefully.

"Let me," Fara said, dismissing the men. She put her hand son Atma's shoulders supportively.

"Where are they?" Atma asked frantically. "Where's my son, my husband?"

"Atma," Fara said slowly. "I'm sorry, there was nothing we could do."

"No! You are lying!" Atma said hysterically, trying to escape from Fara's vice-like embrace. "They're down there, you've got to."

"There's nothing we could do," Fara said. "They were both dead before we got there."

"No! NO!" Atma screamed, her whole body shook and she collapsed in Fara's arms.


	19. Act II Part II

A week passed, yet it seemed like years to Atma as she laid in the bed she and Jali had shared since they married. He had the bed made for a wedding present for her; she remembered his smile as he said…

No, it was too painful, far too painful to remember. The problem was that_ everything_ reminded her of Jali, his clothes were still in the chest, his tools locked in the box under the bed, his books and strange ornaments from the West on their shelf near the window.

And Hara was worse, his room she hadn't been into ever since she curled up in a little ball on the floor and cried. She had carried him for ten cycles, held him in her arms and took him by the hand when he was small and prone to tripping over.

She had her memories, but she didn't have her family. Memories couldn't bring them back, but they couldn't take the pain away either.

"How's Atma?" Lysander asked Fara.

"She hasn't left her room in over a week," Fara replied glumly. "Tallia's managing the Jewel and keeps sending up some food, but she only picks at it."

"I only wish there was something I could do," Lysander said, leaning on his cane heavily.

"Not unless you can brew up a draught that can resurrect Jali and Hara," Fara said.

"The secrets of the dead are best left to those that guard it," Lysander replied. "Perhaps I can give her something to help her sleep."

"She won't see anyone," Fara told him. "The door is locked; Tallia and the serving girls leave the trays of food at the door."

"Perhaps I can help," Lysander said thoughtfully, making his way to the Jewel.

"Well you were right, Drognan," Jerryn said with a wry smile. "While I hate to admit it, you were right about what was coming."

They were sitting in the library pouring over the old records, trying to make some sense of what had awakened beneath the city. They weren't getting very far.

"While is foretold may be vague," Drognan replied melancholically. "It never lies, yet this I fear is only the beginning and it has something to do with that stranger you sent away so suddenly."

"I had no choice," Jerryn said, holding up his hands in submission. "But do you think Jali's death has something to do with the stranger's leaving?"

"No," Drognan said. "If it did then it would be simple. I think it has something to do more with what that stranger did while he was here."

"My lord," Vitran was entering the room, and what he had to tell looked urgent. "We've managed to detain someone, a man in a dark cloak and he's leading some sort of prisoner."

"Where are they?" Jerryn said, getting to his feet.

"I put them in one of the cells in the cellar," Vitran said. "But there's something about this person that's akin to that dark wanderer that left here a week ago."

"Have you restrained him" Jerryn asked.

"He's more or less willing to talk," Vitran said.

"This sounds rather odd," Jerryn said, then he turned to Drognan. "Come with me, you may have more luck ascertaining this stranger than I."

The stranger stood against the wall, the cloak he was mentioned of wearing was in a heap at his feet. He was dressed in the robes of a mage but neither Jerryn nor Drognan could identify the clan he came from. He looked rather afraid, but that was probably due to the fact that two guards has their swords pointed at his belly.

In the corner, being comforted by another guard was a small boy. He had a pale, dirty face and tangled, matted hair that hung over his face. He was dressed in rags and looked almost skeletal. But what struck Jerryn the most was the look of sheer terror on his face. But the boy would have to wait.

"Who are you?" Jerryn thundered, eyeing the mage suspiciously.

"I would rather not disclose my identity," the mage said curtly.

"Are you a fugitive?" Jerryn asked. "Whence have you come? Where are you going?"

"No, I am not a fugitive," the mage said, still eyeing the swords. "I come from the West and continue on to Kurast with my apprentice."

"Your apprentice?" Drognan said, staring at the mage as if trying to see through him. "From the way he has been treated I thought he was your slave."

"He has not been well," the mage replied unconvincingly.

"I'd say it has more to do with you than any illness," Drognan said. "I'd advise you Lord Jerryn to imprison this liar until we decide what to do with him."

"Then it shall be done," Jerryn said. "Keep an eye on him," he told Vitran, he then turned to the boy. "You can come upstairs if you like; I'll give you a bath, a hot meal and a warm bed."

The boy looked up cautiously, looking from Drognan to Jerryn and then back again. He seemed to consider this for a moment.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Jerryn said gently. "I want to help you, which is far better than what that mage is doing to you."

The boy didn't speak, but he let Jerryn help him up and lead him up the stairs into the palace proper.

"Drognan, is there some charm you can put on our captives door to keep him there?" Jerryn asked the old wizard.

"I'll see what I can do," Drognan said, going below.

A bath, a haircut and clean clothes did wonders for the boy and Jerryn was surprised to see how his guest actually looked that evening. He had the impression that the boy couldn't be over ten years old, but clearly he was approaching adolescence.

"Do you have a name?" Jerryn asked when the servers were pouring hot sweet drinks of cacao before the food was brought out.

"Sinclair, sir," the young man replied, cautiously sipping his drink.

Jerryn reminded himself that it was ignorance, and not rudeness, that prevented Sinclair from observing the customs of the land. Such as the man highest in rank began to eat or drink before anyone else at the table could.

"So, Sinclair how did you come to be with the mage?" Jerryn made the question as gentle as possible, not wanting to press the boy too much.

"I don't remember," he said after a long pause. "All I can think of is riding on a horse with someone, then being carried on a horse in a bundle. That and my own name."

"So you don't remember your family?" Jerryn asked. "Your father, your mother, all a big blank?"

"There are images, voices," Sinclair said taking a bit of bread when it was offered to him. "But nothing certain sir, no."

"I see," Jerryn said as the first of the meat dishes was brought out.

"Something's been done to him, but I don't know what," Jerryn said to Drognan after. "I was hoping you would know; are there any dark magics that can erase memory?"

"Yes," Drognan said, his eyes on the night sky outside. "But memory loss can also stem from a traumatic experience which is no doubt what this poor boy suffered."

"Well, he's resting now," Jerryn said. "And I put a guard on his door just in case."

"In case of what?" Drognan asked, turning to look at him.

"My own peace of mind I guess," Jerryn said with a shrug. "Have you heard about Atma?"

"I was talking to Lysander, he gave her something to help her sleep," Drognan said sadly. "It was a great tragedy; I don't think anyone could have taken a great blow better than Atma has. She's grieving and she's been given time to, Fara talks to her now and again…well tries to and the Jewel is being run well in her absence. Do you mind if I impart one last piece of advice?"

"Go ahead," Jerryn said, stifling a yawn.

"I'm afraid what happened in the sewers will draw adventurers from all over the place like when Diablo took control of Tristram," the wizard said. "By all rights you should close the port until the troubles are over and increase the town's security."

"I'll make the necessary orders in the morning," Jerryn said, stiffening another yawn. "Goodnight, Drognan."

The sorcerer mumbled something that was in the direction of some form of answering to Jerryn but resumed his examination of the heavens. There was much to be had here, much to be gleaned.

Satya was lying on the couch in his chamber when Jerryn entered, when she heard him removing his clothes she opened one eye. Then, when he sat down next to her on the couch she put her hands on his naked shoulders.

"You're tired, aren't you?" She asked, kissing the nape of his neck and massaging his back.

"The pressures of state," Jerryn said. "The nature of unexpected guests."

"Unexpected guests," Satya leaned forward to catch his eye. "Do you mean that man and his slave that came tonight?"

"How do you know about that?" Jerryn asked, looking at Satya incredulously.

"I hear things," she said mysteriously.

"Satya, this is serious," Jerryn said, sitting up and pushing the whore's hand away. "No, listen to me. What goes on here stays here, you have to understand that."

"I understand," Satya said with a sad smile. "But that doesn't stop him from being afraid."

"Afraid?" Jerryn stared at her. "You have nothing to worry about. I have that mage under lock and key and that dark wanderer should be half-way to Kurast by now."

"It's not just me," Satya told him. "The other girls, our house is right near the entrance to the sewers. I haven't heard them myself but the cries of what is below there terrify the girls and scare away the customers. Preshna's furious a business is going down."

"She would be," Jerryn said, yawning suddenly. But he rang a bell and one of his servants came at once. "Tell Vitran to set a guard outside the Harem Guild." The servant nodded then left without a word. "Satisfied?"

"The guards will probably deter customers," Satya told him. "And they will probably want services for free."

"I'll speak to Preshna in the morning but I'm tired," Jerryn said, yawning again and then turning off the light. "Go to sleep."

It was three weeks after her son and husband were killed that Atma decided to go on living. Slowly at first, she tended the bar, gave orders to the serving girls and maintained polite conversation when it was required, but otherwise she was silent. Besides, what was the purpose of enjoying life if the ones she loved were no longer there?

"I'm worried about Atma," Tallia confessed to Fara. "She's gone from lying there listless in her bed all day to working herself to death."

"Everyone copes with pain differently," Fara reflected. "Atma has suffered a most grievous loss and it is hard to predict how she will react. All you can do is be there to catch her when she falls."

"You are the best for that," Tallia said but Fara shook her head.

"She does not speak to me or anyone," Fara said. "I respect that and I have told her that I would be there if I needed her, I suggest you do the same."

"So you are saying she could collapse again?" Tallia asked.

"Most definitely," Fara replied. "Be ready when it happens."

Standing out in the main street of Lut Gholein as they were, Fara and Tallia were the witnesses to an odd spectacle. Led by Preshna, the women of the Harem Guild formed an odd sort of parade all walking in a group carrying their belongings. Guards were at the head and end of the group and the rear and let all of them into the palace, which Tallia and Fara discovered by following them.

"I dislike brothels and those who run them," Fara said. "They lead to honourable men doing dishonourable things, bur Jerryn must be taking no chances."

"What do you mean?" Tallia asked her as they walked back to the Jewel. "He could have invited them."

"With the danger of the vermin beneath our very feet?" Fara asked her. "Not likely, the harem is closest to the entrance."

"I see," Tallia said thoughtfully. "So we could all be in danger?"

"Drognan put several spells to contain the evil," Fara reassured her. "But that might not be the only entrance."

"Oh," was all Tallia could say.

Fara approached Drognan when Tallia had returned to the Jewel, there was something more behind what they had seen than met the eyes. She found the old sorcerer pouring over old records in his small house.

"Oh, hello," he said, not even looking up when she entered the one-roomed dwelling. "I suppose you've come to ask my why Jerryn has sent all the harem girls to the palace?"

"Correct," Fara said, sitting across from him at the table. "I gather it just isn't because he invited them."

"It seems harmless enough," Drognan said mildly.

"But it isn't," Fara insisted. "Not with the vermin beneath the city or the dark wanderer's coming."

Drognan didn't answer.

"Tell me, what's going on?" Fara asked.

"Do not ask what I do not wish to tell," Drognan replied. "One piece of advice: gather your wits about you."

Fara knew that was all she was going to get out of him so she left without another word.

"Have you seen Sinclair?" Jerryn asked Vitran when the harem girls were settled.

"Who?"

"The boy who was with the mage," Jerryn said. "He was in his room and the servants promised to keep an eye on him but now he is not."

"I'll see to it that he is found," Vitran said, saluting Jerryn and walking off.

"Oh, and Vitran," Jerryn said before he was out of sight. "The women are here as our guests, they must be treated accordingly. Inform your men that."

"I shall, my liege," Vitran said.

He found Sinclair in the third level of the harem walking towards the stairs. He didn't notice Vitran approaching, but the Captain of the Guards realised what was happening. Without a word he took Sinclair's wrist firmly and marched him back upstairs. He left the boy in his room and called two guards to make sure the boy didn't leave.

Then he went to find Lord Jerryn. He was dining with his 'guests' and was rather angry at being disturbed.

"This better be important," Jerryn said curtly.

"I think the boy will be a danger," Vitran said. "I found him on his way down the to the palace cellar, perhaps the mage had him under his control."

"That is possible," Jerryn said, stroking his short beard. "Have you posted a guard at Sinclair's door?"

"Yes, my liege," Vitran answered.

"Double it, and close all the windows," Jerryn said. "If that mage is freed he may murder us all in our beds. I'll have to do something about him tomorrow."

"Of course, my liege," Vitran said. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"Not at present," Jerryn said. "Notify me the moment there is anything strange. Even if it in the middle of the night."

Drognan sat with his starchart in front of him on the roof of his house, studying the heavens. According to his calculations what he predicted should happen in the next few days, if not sooner. While it seemed impossible to comprehend the old sorcerer accepted the dire nature of events that were only just unfolding, Jerryn said he accepted his warnings but Drognan was not going to alarm the young lord of Lut Gholein, competent as he was, with what he knew was going to happen.

There it was, a sign that things were falling into motion. A falling star, no two, three shooting stars that streaked through the sky in tandem before scattering in different directions. Drognan studied the moving pulses of light with one of his instruments. Holding it up to his eye, Drognan examined the phenomena more closely.

What he saw astounded him. The three stars drew in towards each other and collided, a bright flash of light and a starburst, then nothing.

Drognan hurried inside and grabbed his staff. Within seconds he was on his way to the palace, clearly it was much worse than he thought.

With Satya on one side and a girl named Prithi on the other side, Jerryn slept soundly. The sound of running footsteps made his eyelids flicker slightly. But it was the bloodcurdling screams that drove him from his slumber and onto his feet.

"What is it?" Prithi asked but Satya knew it was better not to say anything; Jerryn simply threw on a robe and left the room. But we retraced his steps and locked the door.

"Don't move," he warned them.

Vitran was running up to him and next to him, at a much slower pace was Drognan.

"Is it as we feared?" Jerryn asked.

"No, it's worse," Drognan answered before Vitran could. "Much worse."

"What's happened?" Jerryn asked Vitran as they both followed him below.

"There seems to be an attack coming from the cellars," Vitran said. "My men can't seem to locate the source, they're being cut down by demons."

"Demons?' Jerryn asked, he stopped in his tracks.

"That is all they can be described as, my lord," Vitran said respectfully.

"Drognan, you know more about this than all of us," Jerryn said. "Tell us how to fight this threat."

"That I cannot," Drognan said regretfully. "Nor can I tell you whence it came. What I can tell you is this: what we have experienced before and what we deal with now is but the tip of a string of cataclysmic events." He said slowly. "I saw it tonight in the heavens, three stars moving together, parting then destroying each other. What the ancients have feared for so long has now happened."

"But what do we do now?" Jerryn asked.

Before anyone could answer a woman in a deep red robe appeared, her hair was plastered over her face like a mask. She smiled at them through the tangled mass of hair, blood and smeared make-up before toppling at their feet. Jerryn and Vitran were ready to catch her and laid her gently on the ground.

"It's Preshna," Vitran said, wiping the hair away form her face. "Her throat was cut."

Jerryn took his own hand away, then stared at it in shock. Her dress wasn't read, it was wet with her own blood. The blood continued to flow, making puddles on the floor.

Jerryn grabbed a short sword from the suit of armour that stood by the door and went down the stairs where Preshna had come from.

"My Lord!" Vitran called from what seemed like a long way off. "It's too dangerous."

Jerryn didn't hear them, whore or not anything that evil didn't deserve to live. If only he could had a part in its death before it was driven from his palace. His palace…

The sight of what met him at the bottom of the stairs made him stop in shock. He had expected to find horror, he had expected to find disorder, hideousness, wickedness…but nothing of what Vitran had said upstairs, or what he had read of Evil could have prepared him for what he saw.

A ring of skeletons slashed at a girl's body, she was screaming for mercy but they paid no heed to her cries. Elsewhere fleshy beats engaged in combat with his guards, but at all the blood on the floor and on their bodies it was apparent who was winning.

Corpses were everywhere, scavengers were over the bodies, pulling off bits and devouring them, chattering to each other and fighting for the best feed. And over the entire scene a stench hung over like a cloud, an atmosphere of blood, evil and fear.

It took less than a few seconds for Jerryn to take all this in then he was spotted. Several of the scavengers scuttled over, nipped at his feet as he tried to cut them down with his sword. Several bright flashes of fire finished them off.

Then, just as the group of skeletons were starting to take an interest in him, a wall of fire emerged from the ground between him and everyone else in the room. Jerryn looked back, Drognan was standing there holding his staff ready and Vitran ushered him towards the back of the room.

"My Lord, I strongly recommend that you go to the upper levels," the guard said.

"I am willing to…" Jerryn protested.

"I took an oath to protect your life with my own if need be," Vitran urged. "Now go, let me have this last boon."

"You don't have to…" Jerryn said but he found himself turning around and following Drognan up the stairs. He tried to dull his ears from the cries of horror and clashes of steel, it was next to impossible but he kept walking.

"DROP!" Drognan shouted and Jerryn immediately flattened himself against the floor, just in time to avoid a blast of flames that went over his back and singed part of his hair.

Something scratched his ankle, automatically kicking and screaming when something hard and sharp lodged its claws in his foot.

"Get it if off me!" Jerryn screamed as Drognan raised his staff again and cast lighting bolts. Whatever was attacking him, stopped.

"Crawl, just get up here," Drognan yelled, casting several more lightning bolts.

Hand by hand, Jerryn made it up the stairs and rolled just in time to avoid another blast of fire from Drognan's staff.

"Some warning would have been nice," Jerryn said, cautiously getting to his feet. His foot was slashed and bleeding where he had been attacked. "Vitran, he's…" but before he could say anything a wall of fire appeared in the doorway. Jerryn turned back to Drognan. "How are my guards going to get out?"

"They won't," Drognan said, then added quickly. "This is a threat that none of us alive today have faced, true Evil itself."

"And that is supposed to explain why you have condemned my men to death?" Jerryn demanded.

"We are all dead men, it's only a matter of time," Drognan started walking. "We'd best get to the tower."

On a hose riding due south was the dark cloaked rider, on the back of his saddle he had Sinclair tied up and drugged. Diablo's presence had barred any passage east, but there were other ways across the Twin Seas.


	20. Chapter XVII

Chapter XVII 

It was a few hours yet before he was due for the watch but Geldar couldn't sleep. He lay in the small tent on the ground tasting the sand in his mouth. They had reached Aranoch several days ago and already the mountains were distance behind the vast ridges of the desert. It would be several weeks before they finally reached Lut Gholein, and Cain had reminded them they weren't sure what they would find there. Talina was insistent on getting a ship and heading for the Amazon Islands, but nothing was certain until they arrived.

Already they had passed caravans abandoned in the swirling sands like skeletons, the merchants and travellers becoming the food of carrion birds. And of course there was the evil that lived there and all around them, much more vicious and dangerous than in Khanduras, and more poisonous.

This one of the reasons why they were very careful with their supplies, there used to be outposts for food and fodder at various stations and villages, now nothing but scorpions and the wind-blown sand moved through them.

Geldar was just closing his eyes when a noise outside made him wide-awake. There was no time to don his armour bud he grabbed his new sword, threw on a tunic and rolled out from his tent so his face was in the sand. Cautiously, he looked up – and noticed the legion of skeletons heading towards their camp.

There came a war cry, this was Talina's signal but Geldar was by her side before long, she hurled several javelins at the invaders. Geldar smashed them with the flat of his sword, angered to find that they kept rising from where he struck them down.

"Desist!" Cried a loud voice that made Geldar look up, a tall man was walking towards them. His face was a skeletal white and his clothes seemed to be made of rawhide and bones. He carried a feathered wand and a shield made of bone.

"You get his minions," Geldar said angrily. "And I'll send this minion back to Hell."

"Geldar!" Talina called but he was already advancing.

He didn't stop to think that it was foolish to fight an armoured opponent with only a sword and a thin tunic upon him. He didn't stop to consider that who he was approaching was not an underling of Evil. All he knew was that the power to raise the dead was a sin, akin to witchcraft or sorcery. He had been schooled all his life about what to do about such corrupters of life: a quick death for the hope of absolution.

Geldar swung his sword wildly; this was intentional as he meant to distract his opponent. He was about to make a quick cut to the man's chest when he found himself knocked back as if stunned. Annoyed, Geldar pressed again but two skeletons emerged from the corpses of ones he had felled. By the time he managed to get to the man – or fiend as Geldar called him in thought – he was brandishing a dagger that smoked poison-green in the darkness.

"Drop your weapon!" He said, his voice was deep and throaty, Geldar was taken slightly aback but he didn't stop his attack.

"I know not what Hell you spawned from," Geldar said, swinging his sword behind his head to get some distance between them. "But, by Akarat I'll send you back there."

"I came not from Hell," the man said. "Stay your attack and listen; I am a priest of Rathma. I seek your allegiance."

"I do not deal with demons or their minions," Geldar said.

"Geldar, stop!" Talina was instantly between them. "He's not from Evil. He's against them like us," she turned and looked at the Necromancer. "While my trust is not yours as yet, I do know that you have come to help us." She looked back at Geldar but he hadn't moved. "Put down your sword, Geldar. If you can't trust him you can trust my word for him."

Geldar lowered his sword but eyed the man cautiously. Such things went against his conscience, but didn't Talina tell him she was once a mercenary? He trusted her, she saved his life several times and he had saved her battling Andariel.

"I am Paladin Geldar of the Zakarum," he said. "The Amazon Talina and I have come from Khanduras in the wake of the death of Andariel."

"We seek the Wanderer," Talina said. "We hope to stop him and then we have separate quests. Might we have your name?"

"I am Norleche," said the Necromancer, sheathing his dagger and replacing his wand on his belt. "I have seen the auspices of Andariel's return to Hell. It marks you well to have done the deed."

"How did you – " Geldar asked but Talina silenced him with a glance.

"Will you travel with our party?" Talina asked. "And help us with whatever we find in Lut Gholein?"

"That all depends," Norleche said, gathering the skeletons around him. "On what we find there."

Warriv was sceptical of the Necromancer but he had the tact not to show it, Cain was more open-minded, asking if he had heard any news recently. The Necromancer told them he had come from the north and he was returning when he knew about the recent events of the Prime Evils.

"I was actually on my way to Tristram," he confessed that evening when they were sitting around the fire. "Then I heard the Lord of Terror was defeated but my sources told me the fight was far from over."

"Did your sources tell you any of what is to come?" Deckard Cain asked.

"It all depends on one man," Norleche replied. "And the actions are not yet done, and until they are what may be hangs in the balance."

Talina excused herself and went to talk to Geldar who was patrolling the perimeter of the camp. He smiled at her approach but she didn't return the gesture.

"I'll take over the watch," she said loyally. "Go and sit by the fire, you hardly ate anything."

"I'll be fine for another few hours," Geldar replied. "I wasn't hungry."

"No, you just don't want to sit there with Norleche," Talina reproached. "I don't understand you at all."

"It's what he does," Geldar said. "Control over life and death are best left in the hands of the Divine."

You do know the difference between a mortal and a demon don't you?" Talina asked.

"Of course," Geldar replied as if the question was an insult. "But therein lays the problem, Evil uses man, not the other way around."

"While I would like to explain to you that the world is not broken up into black and white concepts," Talina answered patiently. "I will tell you that you being against Norleche will affect when we all fight together eventually."

"Not unless he kills us all in some dark ritual," Geldar said testily.

"I am not asking you to trust him as I don't trust him myself," Talina said. "However, I am asking you to be civil. We can't be fighting amongst ourselves if we have to face one of the Prime Evils."

"You're right," Geldar said after a few moments of thought.

"Will you go rest by the fire now?" Talina asked.

"You rest for a few hours," he said. "Then come and get me."

The next morning Geldar was walking ahead of the caravan squinting in the bright light, they were due for a stop anytime now and then continue the journey once the heat of the day had gone. He wore only a light corslet as he found while he was still a squire that metal armour was only comfortable in short periods under a baking sun.

In the caravan Talina sat talking with Cain while Norleche followed them at the rear with several of his skeletons. It had been a matter of dispute between the Necromancer and the Paladin whether they follow them until Talina pointed out how expendable they were.

"Geldar was saying you were in Lut Gholein before," Talina said, staring out at the empty desert as she spoke.

"That was many years ago," the Horadric sage replied. "I was young then, the though that Evil could permeate the land now was unthinkable then."

"Among my people we have a maxim," Talina said. "That the times of good prepare us for the times of trial as they give us happiness to look back upon."

"I have to admit that I find the ways of your people difficult to comprehend," Cain confessed.

"Most do," Talina replied with a smile. "I found the ways of the West different when I first travelled here but I have learnt to adapt. Yet I understand how beliefs and societies adapt to the needs of the people and where they live."

"Not many understand that," Cain said as the caravan came to a sudden stop. "That's odd," Cain said, daring to peek outside. "Warriv normally stops near an oases or well."

"It could be trouble," Talina said, grabbing her shield and javelins and jumping off the caravan.

Geldar and Norleche were ahead discussing something and Talina ran to stand beside them. In front of them, behind some sort of wall was a hoard of snarling spitting cats. They were brandishing javelins, Talina could see, and they were trying to rip through the wall.

"Panther slingers," Geldar replied when he noticed her confused expression. "They would have been on us if Norleche hadn't conjured up that wall."

"Do you want help?" Talina asked.

"You stay near the caravan," Geldar said. "Keep them off, we'll try and get them at close range."

At that moment the wall broke and they swarmed out, throwing javelins in the sand just in front of them. Talina wanted to attack but she stepped back, right back to in front of the caravan and glanced around for a target.

"Get inside!" She yelled to Warriv and Cain, remembering the torn frame of the caravans they had passed a while back.

There was the sound of several javelins landing next to her that made Talina drop to the ground then roll back onto her feet, shield ready and javelin out. Were there any advancing? Geldar and Norleche had them engaged up the front but there were some trying to break through.

Suddenly Geldar was knocked to the ground and several of the cats got past Norleche. Three javelins thrown before Talina charged at them with another. A few quick blows and they were on the ground snarling their last breaths.

She looked up quickly, Geldar and Norleche were dealing with the last of them, Geldar was bashing them with his shield and Norleche was using some kind of poison move with his dagger. It wasn't long until all there was left was the three of them and the flies and scorpions crawling after the blood.

"It's over," Talina told Warriv and Cain and the merchant came out of the caravan with a waterskin.

"Is it long until we reach an oasis?" Geldar asked him after taking a much needed drink.

"We won't reach one till the day after tomorrow," Warriv replied. "There should be a village ahead, or at least when I last came through here."

"We'd best get going," Talina said. "Geldar, you get back to the caravan I'll walk in front."

For once the Paladin didn't argue.


	21. Chapter XVIII

Chapter XVIII 

Lut Gholein, known as the jewel of the desert, is the main trading port and city in Aranoch and a major point of call on the trading route between Kurast and the towns of Khanduras. But perhaps the reason of its epithet lies in the fact that it is a welcome sight for the weary merchant on the way east.

It certainly was for Warriv as well as Cain, Talina and Geldar as they finally sighted the city on the last morning. The sound and smell of the sea was much better than that of blood and sand that they had endured. By early evening they were through the gates and Warriv was heading to the merchant's quarter of the city.

Geldar, Talina and Cain were about to get a decent meal at the, the Jewel of the City, the public house in town when they were stopped by a brightly clad personage who greeted them rather pensively.

"Welcome travellers," his tone was warm but his expression was apprehensive. "I am Jerryn, Lord of Lut Gholein and I bid you welcome to my fine city. We have recently heard that Diablo, the Lord of Terror, walks again and there has been increased unrest in the city. I have ordered the port closed and the town placed under a strict watch. I have to get back to the palace, I am sorry but I cannot invite you in. Things are…a bit of a mess at the moment."

"The port is closed?" Talina asked. "But I need to get home as soon as I can."

"I am sorry but due to the unrest that is impossible," Jerryn said regrettably. "You should speak to Atma, she should have some information for you."

"You are Lord Ariedam's son aren't you?" Cain asked suddenly. "I knew your father, he would be proud of you right now."

"Deckard Cain, is it?" Jerryn asked. "I heard that one of the Horadrim was still alive. It does well for us if you are here. If you'll excuse me…" Jerryn said and he looked around frantically.

"By all means," Geldar said, and the young lord was gone.

"What am I do to now?" Talina asked as they entered the tavern, ignoring the stares of those within as they went to a table.

"We have to get them to open the port," Geldar said as they headed to a table.

"And how?" Talina asked as the serving girl came around and they ordered.

"The same way with the rogues," Geldar answered when she had gone. "Earn their trust, that brings many things."

"Though you do not speak in such terms in regards to Norleche," Cain observed.

"That's different," Geldar replied. "He is good in a fight but I don't trust him yet."

"Neither do I," Talina said.

"Not even after he saved all of us when he spotted those two groups of saber cats a week ago?" Cain said. "Not even after he was able to reverse the poison of a well so we wouldn't die of thirst? What is it that you judge him of? Past prejudices? They mean nothing now."

"I have the values instilled in me by the Zakarum," Geldar said. "I can't abandon those very easy despite what has happened. I'm not going to turn my back on the Church of Light as my brother did."

"And you?" Cain asked Talina.

"As a personal opinion I see Geldar's notion of good and evil as very simplistic," Talina replied. "There is no such thing with mortals, with demons and lesser beings I agree but there are various degrees of corruption such as the story of Horazon."

"I had no idea you were so informed of Vizjerei history," Cain said.

"It was part personal interest and part required study in the temple of Zerae," Talina replied. "But I don't trust Norleche because I don't understand his actions and how they are brought about. And if I ask he doesn't answer, how can I trust such mystery."

"Talina," Geldar asked. "Would you mind showing me how you summon lightning bolts? That skill could come in useful one say."

"Of course not!" Talina said sharply. "Such actions are arcane knowledge to the initiates of Zerae and –" she suddenly smiled when she realised what Geldar was trying to prove. "Well at least my prejudices aren't grown in me, they are based on experience."

"I call a truce, for now," Geldar said, holding up a hand.

"People change their values," Cain reminded them. "You'd be surprised."

"We can discuss this later," Talina said, and looked up to see that their food was coming. "Let's just eat for now."

When their meal was finished Geldar started fishing around for his money. A tall woman in a purple gown came to collect their dirty plates and empty mugs. She was very beautiful but had a tragic face. By the way she ordered around the serving girls Geldar deduced her to be the proprietor of the place.

"I was told by Lord Jerryn to ask for a woman named Atma," he said to her. "Might you know where I would find her?"

The woman looked at him longingly and her eyes glazed over. "You are the travellers from the west that sent Andariel back to the burning Hells aren't you?"

"Yes," Talina said, noticing that the woman had stopped. "You are Atma, aren't you?"

"That is my name," she said, wiping away a tear and quickly walking away from the table with the laden tray.

"What did you say to her?" Talina asked.

"I only asked her name," Geldar replied. "Whatever tragedy touched her it must be recent. Let me pay, I think she wanted to tell me something."

"She might be married," Talina said slyly but Geldar ignored her.

"I would appreciate it very much," Geldar said to Atma when he walked up to the bar with his gold. "If you'd tell me if a man in a dark cloak called here recently. I speak not of the Wanderer as I know he has gone on elsewhere but another that resembles him."

"You might like to ask Elzix who keeps the Desert Rain Inn," Atma said, counting out his change.

"I haven't met anyone of that name yet," Geldar said.

"He lives on the other side of the city," Atma said. "This is no favouritism, I send all my customers there for rest just as he sends his to me for mead and a meal."

"Much thanks anyway," Geldar said and he posed to leave but Atma caught his arm.

"I don't expect much from you," she said in a low voice. "But if you could help me I would be truly grateful. In the sewers below our city there lurks a horrid creature that hungers for human flesh. The creature has killed many, including my son and my husband. If you destroy it, I will reward you. Please be careful though, that beast has taken enough from us already. The sewer entrance is through the trap door just up the street."

"Thank you again, m'lady," Geldar said, taken aback by her outburst. "I will do all in my power to assist you."

Talina and Cain were looking at him in askance when he approached the table but he volunteered no information until they were outside and heading towards the other side of town.

"Did you get anymore information?" Cain asked.

"That's all she told me," Geldar replied. "Perhaps someone around here will have –" he was stopped when they entered the marketplace and a tall red-haired woman walked towards him and smiled.

"Well met, brother Paladin," she said. "I am Fara and I welcome you here to Lut Gholein."

"You no longer follow the Light?" Geldar asked.

"That is true," she said. "But it matters not. A Paladin, an Amazon, a Horadric Sage and a Necromancer arriving denotes no small thing indeed."

"My name is Talina," the Amazon said when Geldar wouldn't respond. "We were just told by Atma of a creature that eats human flesh. Could you give us anymore information?"

"You speak of Radament," said Fara. "I have spoken with Drognan about it and he may have some more information for you. He is a sorcerer and he's been researching our plight."

"Is there anyone else here who may be of help?" Cain asked. "We only arrived with the caravan this afternoon."

"Drognan has many magical implements for sale while Lysander over there deals in potions," Fara replied. "For arms and armour you can come to myself or the innkeeper Elzix. But repair is something only I can do here. Griez hired out mercenaries, his barracks are in the far part of the city."

"Are there any trading merchants from Kurast here?" Talina asked.

"There is only Meshif who has been anchored here until further notice," Fara replied. "He intends to go onto Kurast if the port reopens."

"If you'll excuse us," Talina said and she started to walk away with Geldar and Cain in tow. "Do you want to go onto the inn while Geldar and I see Drognan about this Radament? I want to move first thing in the morning."

"I don't mind – " Cain started but Geldar put a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"You can get us a room while we find out more about this," he said. "I know I'm looking forward to a real bed again."

When they were alone again Geldar and Talina went in search of the sorcerer. They found him at the entrance to the city, a tall man with a grey beard a brown robe and a tall hat. He leaned on a staff and walked up to them and smiled.

"I have heard that you two are responsible for sending Andariel back to the burning Hells," he said. "I am impressed, that would not have been easy. My name is Drognan and I know some magics, you might wish to look over my inventory if you wish to trade."

"We seek information," Geldar said respectfully. "I am Paladin Geldar and we have heard talk about something called Radament. The lady Atma asked for help and I am willing to do her bidding."

"We all feel for Atma after what happened," Drognan said and he walked over to his stall and got out a few scrolls. "Her husband Asyr was a good friend of mine as was their son Ibole. Their plight was their curiosity; such is the nature of the world. Fara and I have been talking about the creature recently," he showed them several pictures of emaciated bodies. "From my studies I have deduced that it is Radament the fallen, an ancient Horadric mummy that for some reason has left his tomb to prey upon mortals."

"Horadric mummy," Talina mused. "Cain must know something."

"I've heard of your friend, Cain," Drognan said with a smile. "He is the last of the Horadrim. You would do well to heed any advice he has to give you."

"We rescued him from certain death," Geldar replied. "Atma also spoke of a sewer entrance some where along the street. Can you tell us where it is?"

"There are two entrances," Drognan replied, he pointed up the street. "One is up there near Griez's barracks and the other is near the harbour. I'll let you know if I have anymore information about it."

"Much thanks," Talina said and they headed towards the inn. "Well what do you think?"

"I'm still not very sure about this," Geldar said. "But either way Norleche will be of great help."

"My thoughts exactly," Talina replied.


	22. Chapter XIX

Chapter XIX 

Elzix had one hand, one foot and was missing an eye but he kept a good board and had rooms for them when Talina and Geldar arrived. To Talina's surprise he didn't insist on putting her in another room away from the rest of the inn.

Griez the mercenary captain had retired for the evening but one of his men showed them the entrance to the sewer and gave them a few details on Radament. Apparently quite a few of them had been killed by the creature.

Cain was sitting by the fire in the main room at the Desert Rain Inn talking with Elzix. He smiled at them and called for one of the plump girls he kept to fetch a candle and show them to their rooms. Apparently he had been a bandit in his youth, Geldar wondered what mishap caused him to settle down but he knew better than to ask.

The Horadric sage was quite interested when Geldar mentioned that the Radament they were seeking was a Horadric mummy. He gave them a few particulars, saying that it was reflecting of the corruption of times that one would rise from the dead. Horadric Mages were preserved as such many ages ago, the higher ups had special rites after they died but such information was only possessed by the Horadric Funereal Priests.

Talina and Geldar stayed up a long time arguing how they were going to get out of the city. Yet there seemed no solution but to gain the trust of Jerryn, Geldar had the impression that he was hiding something and this was they key to the city's plight. They resolved in the morning to look at his palace in case this gave them any answers.

Talina was about to bid him goodnight when a thought occurred to her.

"Norleche, have you seen him at all?" She asked. "We have to stop avoiding him; I'm starting to think that Cain is right. We should base our trust on what he does, not what he is."

"I haven't seen him since we went to the Jewel," Geldar said. "But I'm too tired to look for him now. It can wait until the morning."

"At least we no longer have to post watches," Talina said and she said goodnight and closed the door behind her.

They found Norleche talking with Drognan the next morning; apparently he had been down to the sewers to investigate and needed some more information.

"We could have come with you," Talina said testily.

"It's very nice of you two to include me after all I have done," the Necromancer returned.

Geldar and Talina looked at each other rather sheepishly.

"Lets call it a truce," Geldar replied. "I know I have prejudices against you, and so does Talina. We're willing to put those aside if we can all work together."

"How touching," said Norleche. "But I know what's in the sewers and you don't. You are willing to help me?"

"We'll help each other," Talina replied. "I'm sure there are some things we can learn from you. Knowledge of poisons are particularly useful in these parts and you have already helped us in that area."

"And what does this mean?" The Necromancer asked. "I understand that trust is not something to be given lightly, it must be based upon who a person is and the deeds they do. But I feel that I have passed beyond that already."

"Forgive me," Geldar replied. "I was making excuses based on the lessons I was taught by the Zakarum when I should have based any judgements I made on my observations. Still," he almost smiled at the Necromancer. "We did not meet under the most auspicious of circumstances."

"Quite," Norleche replied, and he smiled.

"He hasn't apologised to me yet," Talina said with a smile. "Now, what can you tell us about Radament that we don't already know?"

Down by the docks they found the other door to the sewers, also there was Meshif, a sea captain from Kurast who greeted Talina quite warmly while Norleche and Geldar investigated the way in.

"I haven't seen your kind in many years," Meshif said, he was a portly man with a confident swagger and a voice that had the sound of the eastern kingdoms. "It is reassuring that warriors of your calibre are guarding this city."

"I am much obliged to your welcome, captain," Talina said. "Though I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the help of the Paladin Geldar and the Necromancer Norleche."

"I was wondering of you'd heard any news from Kurast?" He asked her suddenly. "I know you Amazons travel extensively. Have you been there recently?"

"No, I came from the west from Khanduras," Talina replied. "I was hoping to get passage back home."

"Hmm…" he looked thoughtful but his expression offered no concessions. "Well, I hope the port opens soon. I need to get back to Kurast and find out what's happening there."

"That all depends on how events turn out here," Talina said. "I must be going; we're after the one they called Radament."

"Good luck to you," Meshif said. "That is if you need it at all."

Talina smiled as she walked down the ramp that led to the entrance to the sewer. Geldar was waiting outside for her and she followed him inside. The dank smell made her wrinkle her nose but she was grateful for the light from Geldar's aura, there seemed little other light.

"It's a labyrinth under here," Norleche explained. "No worry about stepping in the murky water, but it's no easy journey."

"Since when is what we do easy?" Talina asked.

Norleche's skeleton mages proved useful when scouting ahead as the corridors were so meandering and there was no telling what was around the next corner. Several times they had to fall back and let Talina took a few out with her javelins while Norleche exploded the corpses beneath their feet. He explained to them that every living thing had a strong energy source within it before it died, this could be used for exploding to corpse or else reviving it. Though reviving was always quite precarious given the nature of various creatures.

Yet there were no shortage of skeletons, yet they were not the only undead they encountered. There were mummies, some emerging from sarcophagi and some wandering around aimlessly, moaning and groping the air. When they died a green cloud of poison escaped from their corpses and Talina had to stop and catch her breath when she got to close for it.

"I can try the Cleansing aura again," Geldar offered but Talina shook her head.

"They press so close that Thorns knocks most of them off," she said and looked ahead. "There's a stair up ahead, Radament must be down there."

But 'down there' there was no Radament but more undead, skeletons, mummies and zombies. And a tomb guardian.

"Talina," Norleche shouted over the clash of steel and bones. "Concentrate on the tomb guardian; we can bring down his minions."

Just as Talina readied a javelin to throw she noticed a skeleton she had just felled sprang to life again. As she threw the javelin at the tomb guardian she felled the skeleton with a sharp kick, skittering the bones across the ground. She then turned her attention to the tomb guardian; the javelin only nicked him on the arm.

Cursing, she focused her will and let loose a lighting bolt which struck the greater mummy square on the chest and brought him down to the ground. It took a few more minutes to mop up the remaining skeletons and a few more for Norleche to resurrect some to follow him.

"Is that what Radament is?" Talina asked. "We're in for some fun if he is of that kind."

"And you still rate what he does with me?" Norleche teased.

"Don't try me," Talina warned and they were off again.


	23. Chapter XX

Chapter XX 

"I was just wondering," Talina said when the stopped before going down to the next level. "What it is that the Wanderer is seeking. He came through here, we know that much, but why?"

"I'll say he's after the Tomb of Tal Rasha," Geldar replied. "You should know this Talina, with all you say how your people have been ready for these times."

"Thanks," Talina said with a sarcastic smile. "I have heard the story of Tal Rasha but he was hidden so well in the desert that his tomb could be anywhere."

"The will to find can be a powerful thing," Norleche observed. "Such as you searching for your nephew, Geldar. Have you heard anything more about that dark cloaked rider?"

"I was talking with Fara this morning when she was fixing my sword and she said she's seen something of the like," Geldar replied. "But he's since gone east, to Kurast I believe, so my journey continues still."

"Have you considered why you keep pursing him?" Norleche asked.

"He's my brother's son," Geldar replied. "Of course I would go after him."

"Perhaps I should make my meaning clearer," Norleche said patiently. "From what you have told me of this personage you seek he has powers that are akin to mages who serve the forces of Evil. A corrupted soul such as this would have the means of subterfuge."

"So he wants me to follow him?" Geldar said and the Necromancer nodded. "If this is a trap I'm walking into I'm not backing out now."

"Better to go in with all your senses alert now you know what you are stepping into," Norleche replied. "Shall we go on?"

"Yes," Talina said, shouldering her javelin and picking up her shield.

Hewing through more undead they came to a long corridor where they stopped for a moment to let Norleche's skeletons go ahead. When they turned the corner and were smashed to pieces by approaching enemy skeletons Geldar cast a few charges of Holy Bolt to finish them off quickly.

"Is it Radament?" Talina asked.

Geldar stole ahead, his back to the wall and his shield out. He dared to peep around the corner then snuck back.

"Well? Is it?" Talina asked.

"Yes," Geldar asked. "He has quite a few skeleton minions that he keeps raising. I say we get them away from him as it looks to be a tough fight."

"Sooner than you think," Talina said and sure enough there were several behind Geldar.

"Is there any way we can stop them being raised?" Talina asked.

"Yes," Norleche muttered an incantation and the skeletons were on their feet and looked at Norleche in submission. "Now we fight."

Together they raced down the passage and skidded to a stop just short of where Radament was standing. He was a tomb guardian, or a greater mummy, but Geldar could tell that there was much more to him than met the eye.

Yet he was given no more than a second to observe their quarry when Talina gave the order to fall back, following them were several skeletons which he bashed with his shield or smashed with the flat side of his sword. Talina brought up the rear, throwing javelins that felled the stragglers and Norleche cast some sort of spell that left the enemy skeletons with the impressions of flames above their heads. Whatever it was, it aided his own skeletons in cutting them down.

"I'm on him," Geldar said when a gap was cleared and he raced towards Radament, shield in front of him and sword at ready.

The two clashed hard, Geldar was knocked back by the power of his own blow and the mummy kicked back as if stunned. Geldar turned to his sword, using the blade to slash at Radament's decaying flesh, but having to step back when he was almost overwhelmed by a poisonous cloud.

He attacked again, cutting off one of the arms of the mummy and was about to make a slash at the creature's throat when the tip of a javelin pressed through Radament's chest and he fell to the ground.

"Why do you always have to do that?" Geldar asked.

"I'm not known for being subtle," Talina returned, twisting the javelin to make sure Radament was dead.

"I think I found something," Norleche called and they walked over to where he was standing, he held up a yellowed scroll.

"That has Horadric symbols on it," Geldar said after close examination. "Cain might be able to tell us more."

"Ah, the lost Horadric scroll, what a fortunate turn of events," the sage said as he looked at the piece of paper in his room at the inn. "As the last descendant of the Horadrim I alone have knowledge of its meaning. Now, to read the runes it bears," he frowned over the parchment as he read. "Hmm, the Horadric Mages, after binding Baal within Tal Rasha, magically sealed off his Burial Chamber from the mortal realm. Those same Mages crafted fearsome Horadric Staves and imbued them with special power to open the Chamber's hidden door. After nearly losing one to the thievery of a rogue sorcerer, they divided all the Horadric Staves into two parts – wooden staff and metal headpiece – hiding them separately to safeguard them."

"Is there any way we can find one of these?" Geldar asked, he had the feeling such a thing would be useful.

"The Horadrim foresaw our current plight and designed them to reveal themselves to worthy heroes like yourselves," Cain answered. "Collect both parts of a Horadric Staff and unite them using a Horadric Cube. Then you may enter Tal Rasha's burial chamber."

"It sounds easier said than done," Talina said sadly.

"If something is meant to happen it will," Geldar reminded her. "We still haven't told Atma we killed Radament. I was so curious about the scroll."

"I'll see what more information I can get out of it," Cain promised. "I think Lord Jerryn wishes to speak with you."

"Well, we'll see Atma first," Talina said as they walked away. "She deserves to know and it will help her grief."

"Some say the taste of revenge is bittersweet," Atma said after Geldar had told her of Radament's demise. "But I must say I find it to my liking. Is there any way I can help you?"

"Can you tell us anything you've heard about the Tomb of Tal Rasha?" Geldar asked.

"I've heard legends of the Tomb of Tal Rasha," Atma answered. "But I thought they were just old stories meant to scare young children. Drognan or Fara would know more than I."

"She's still quite tortured," Geldar said as they walked towards the palace. "I feel sorry for her."

"If she gives up her hatred then she can begin to heal," Norleche said. "But I fear she never will."

Jerryn looked happy to see them, but quite disturbed about something.

"I have heard of your skill and bravery," he said nervously. "I feel I can trust you with something I have been hesitant to speak of." He took a deep breath and then continued. "Drognan and I have concluded that the Dark Wanderer who passed through here recently was Diablo himself!"

Geldar and Norleche stared, agape. Talina wasn't convinced.

"Are you sure?' Talina asked. "It could easily have been a minion of his…"

"Let the man talk," Geldar said quietly.

"Drognan believes that Diablo is searching the desert for the secret tomb where the great Horadrim, Tal Rasha, keeps Baal imprisoned. You must find Diablo and put an end to the terrible evil that has fallen upon our city!" Jerryn implored. "Drognan is wise and is sure to have some helpful advice for you as to how Tal Rasha's tomb may be found."

"Do you know how we might locate the tomb?" Geldar asked.

"I know not," Jerryn replied. "But it might take you sometime to find The Tomb. May you be _ready_ when you do."

"So between us looking for a Horadric Staff, finding the Tomb of Tal Rasha and getting there before the Lord of Terror," Talina said over dinner that night. "We've got out hands full."

"Why did you doubt Jerryn?" Geldar asked her. "You should know one should never speak of such things so lightly."

"I don't entirely trust Jerryn," Talina replied. "He's hiding something. If he is as willing to help us as he is then why doesn't he let us use his library? I've heard the one here is quite extensive and has books you'll find nowhere else in Sanctuary. It's second only to the one at the Temple of the Zakarum in Kurast."

"I'm aware of that," Geldar said. "But he doesn't have too. He's been though quite a lot recently. And think about it, if you've had _two_ strange people wearing cloaks calling at your door wouldn't you be cautious?"

"That is _if _there are two strange people wearing cloaks," Talina said sceptically. "There might just be one."

"Talina!" Geldar accused. "You _know_ there have to be two. The cloaked rider and the Dark Wanderer cannot be one and the same."

"Why not?" Talina challenged.

"Consider it rationally," Geldar said, gesturing with his hands. "We know the Wanderer came from Tristram, right? It cannot be the same as the one I saw in the Inn at Duncraig."

"Well he could have taken your nephew, then gone to Tristram and after that gone on to the Monastery," Talina pointed out.

"The rogues told us that he was alone and had come well ahead of us," Geldar reminded her. "We also know that the Wanderer slew Diablo, and according to Cain that took the better part of a month."

"The question really is," Norleche said before Talina could answer. "How Diablo possessed the body of one that slew him."

"Cain was saying something about him having Diablo's soulstone when we first me him," Geldar replied. "He said the Wanderer thought he could contain him but he was mistaken."

"He was clearly mistaken," Norleche said. "Nothing can contain a Prime Evil except perhaps one from Heaven."

"You mean an angel?" Talina asked.

"Of course," Norleche replied. "It has just never been done as who can know the aims of Heaven?"

"Don't make me laugh," Geldar said. "There is no such thing."

"Don't speak so," Talina said in a warning tone. "They are just as real just as the Prime Evils are. Didn't you know it was the Archangel Tyrael who gave the Soulstones to the Horadrim? And it was Archangel Lutana who was killed by Azmodan, the Lord of Betrayal, and her sacrifice sent him back to Hell."

"And of course there was Litany," Norleche said. "Thousands of years ago she took the form of a mortal woman and placed her immortal soul in a secret place so that it may be found by one who is worthy."

"Where did you hear that?" Talina asked. "Lutana is a tale from Glaucus in Southern Kehjistan but I have never heard of a Litany."

"They were apparently what are called the Divine Twins," Norleche replied. "But I have yet to find traces of either of them."

"So how are we going to find a Horadric Cube?" Geldar asked. "That seems to be the first step. Then there's the staff and finally the headpiece."

"One catastrophe at a time," Talina asked. "I've got the feeling it's time we scouted the desert, there's sure to be emptied tombs out there. Cain said there were many Horadric mummies buried out there."

"Well I'm going to turn in," Geldar said, getting to his feet. "I'll see you at the gate to the city at sunrise."


	24. Chapter XXI

**Chapter XXI**

"Well, you three seem to have some sense of purpose this morning," Drognan commented as they walked past his shop on the way out of Lut Gholein. "Jerryn send you on a mission?"

"Not exactly," Talina said with a sly smile. "He did tell us how you deduced that the Wanderer was Diablo."

"Don't speak of him so lightly," Drognan admonished. "Yes, that man – whoever he was – made a grievous mistake and severely underestimated the potential for Evil."

"I have the feeling," Norleche said darkly. "That this was what the Lord of Terror intended all along. Did he not possess a weaker body before this, a child?"

"You'll have to ask Cain for those sort of answers," Drognan admitted. "Though it seems from this that he was in a much weakened state when he was awakened. But I digress," he held up his hands in apology. "I hope you find whatever it is you seek out there. The sands of Aranoch can be dangerous and even as yet have not given up all of their secrets."

"Does he mean that the Tomb of Tal Rasha is really out there?" Talina asked Geldar in a low voice.

"I'm not sure," Geldar replied in the same tone. "Either way, we'd best be on our toes."

"You got that right," Norleche said, they had taken one step out of the city gate and were met by a pack of huntresses led by a green coloured cat whose javelins spouted fire.

"Trouble," Talina said shortly as they backed away. "How do you want to handle this?"

"Their main advantage is in groups and distance," Geldar reminded them. "If we get the split up and at close range we eliminate these."

"All right," Talina assented, taking a few steps to the side. "On three we move out and start fighting. When I start counting again we make a break for it in different directions. Just don't run too far, there's enough at this party as there is."

On Talina's signal they ran out, Geldar raised his sword in attack position and whirled it wildly as he went. A few swift chops and he had his first opponent reduced to a bleeding corpse. A quick dodge and sidestep to avoid an approaching javelin and he was on the offensive again.

Beside him was Talina, jabbing and twirling her javelin at close range and every now and then throwing one to take off an enemy out of reach. The leader was still unreachable, she preferred to attack from a distance.

Next to Talina was Norleche, he merely stabbed the cats when he was being directly threatened. Other than that he turned the corpses around them into debris, exploding with the slightest motion of his hand and creating more and more as the battle continued.

"All right, move!" Talina shouted, she charged straight forward uttering a war cry as she advanced towards the leader of the huntresses.

Geldar darted left, his shield in front of him and calling upon the thorns aura to aid him and the rest of the party. He ran quite close to some of the adversaries and they were knocked out, or even knocked dead, by his close encounter.

Norleche merely said an incantation that caused every enemy in the near vicinity to run away in terror. All but the leader who was in close duel with Talina.

Blood on his face and hands, Geldar raced around the rock fresh from the kill. There was no one left, no one save the leader.

"Get her to walk this way!" Norleche called from the other side of a field of corpses.

For once, Talina obliged, stepping back and giving the oversized cat room to move. One by one the bodies beneath her feet exploded and soon she was on her back hissing and spitting up at the Amazon warrior.

Without hesitating, Talina sank the tip of her javelin into the cat's throat.

"Well?" Geldar asked as he was wiping the blood of his face.

"We better get out of here before the carrion birds come in," Talina said without smiling. "They're already starting to smell."

But it proved to be something they had to get used to as they made their way across the desert wastes and north where, according to Geldar who had spoken to Griez that morning, the Dry Hills were located and were several empty tombs were according to Elzix.

Oversized panther's and lionesses were becoming commonplace along with sand leapers who wouldn't stay still long enough to score a hit until Norleche cast a curse that slowed them down, swarms of bugs that slowed you down rather than attacking outright, large beetles that cast zaps of lightning as well as vultures who were unable to be attacked while in the air.

About midmorning Geldar called a stop and he pointed out a few slimy egg-like things in the sand.

"Stay where you are," he warned. "They could be…"

Just as he was speaking something emerged out of the sand, followed by another, and another and another. Four orange bugs raced towards the party firing poison which made Geldar automatically focus his cleansing aura.

"Talina, get the eggs!" Geldar said frantically as he proceeded to hack one of the bugs to shreds.

Stabbing the eggs was disgusting, foul smelling liquid poured out of the sides and burned the sand. But as she was getting to the last one it hatched, tiny sand maggots swarmed around her legs and scratched at her repeatedly. Norleche quickly scared them off with a few well-placed curses.

When the last of the sand maggots was dead, Geldar showed them the last of the eggs. There were still alive.

"On the way over to the West we used to look for these in the desert and eat them," Geldar said as he killed them with the point of his sword. "Now they're full of poison, such is the case with many things in Sanctuary."

"I wonder if that will happen to us," Norleche said thoughtfully. "If us humans can be easily corrupted as these small-minded insects."

"Not as while I have life and breath within me to prevent it," Talina said tersely. "Could we at least get out of the sun?"

When the sun was at its highest point Geldar called to a halt and they rested in the shade of some palm trees at an oasis. Talina stood guard, senses alert while Geldar opened his canteen and Norleche closely examined one of the trees.

"Here," he said, throwing something at Geldar. "Try this."

"What is it?" Geldar asked, looking at the small green things he was holding. "Is it safe?"

"They're just dates," Norleche replied. "And yes, they're fine. Evil hasn't gotten to them."

Geldar ate a few of them while Talina was staring off into the distance, completely oblivious to what was happening behind her. She suddenly called them over, pointing to something on the horizon.

"There," she said determinedly "It's some sort of stone structure, definitely not rocks. It could be a tomb."

"We still have quite a way to go before we leave the area, Talina," Geldar reminded her. "What we're looking for is sure to be further on. It could be an abandoned village; we passed a few on the way through."

"No, it isn't," Norleche said, squinting into the distance. "But it isn't a tomb either. Impossible to tell at this distance."

When they finally left the shade of the oasis and examined it close at hand. It wasn't a structure, rather a group of stone slabs not unlike the standing stone circles they had in the west. They all bore inscriptions but most of the steles were too weathered to be read.

Geldar examined one with great interest; most of the characters were eroded but he could make out the gist of what was being said. Where they were standing was some kind of ancient meeting place over the ages for merchants and travellers. Here and there people had autographed their names, where they were from and where they were going. They were many repetitions, he noticed, and somewhere he saw the name 'Deckard Cain' scrawled in the stone. Talina looked at it disinterestedly, suggesting that it was a coincidence, or some sort of relative.

"I don't think so," Geldar said. "I think he mentioned once being in the East. I'm not surprised if he has, it looks as if it's in his blood."

"With Jered Cain being his ancestor I'm not surprised," Norleche replied.

"I'm not particularly interested in ancient history or bloodlines at this moment," Talina said rather caustically. "And I would like to find a waypoint so this whole trek was not for nothing."

It was towards late afternoon when they followed the lie of the land and emerged in the Dry Hills, but there wasn't time to appreciate the scenery as they had to fight virtually every step of the way. Now there were what were called sand raiders, many armed fiends holding swords that could give cold attack as well as a stinging slash.

"Does that map of yours tell of any tombs?" Talina asked.

"I've told you four times, no!" Geldar yelled in exasperation.

"Calm down, Paladin," Talina taunted but Geldar stormed off in a sulk. Yet there were all tired and the overpowering heat didn't help.

Norleche was resting a slender bone on two of his fingers, completely ignoring the interlude that was unfolding right in front of him. Annoyed, Talina asked him what he was doing.

"I believe you call it divination," Norleche replied in a calm, controlled voice. "Or dowsing, what ever your purpose might be."

"Isn't that what they use to track water spiels?" Talina asked.

"Yes, but you can use it to find things," Norleche. "Whatever you happen to be looking for at the time if you focus hard enough."

"Whatever you want?" Talina asked.

"Whatever you want," Norleche agreed.

Geldar was reluctant but willing to try Norleche's method, they had to keep stopping and starting again to allow for the killing of more vermin. They made progress, descending down the side of a cliff, through dried river beds and past a waypoint when night was falling and Geldar called to a halt. There were too many dangers in daylight in these parts and they merely multiplied during the night.

"About your brother," Norleche said to Geldar on the way back to the waypoint.

"Yes?" Geldar asked, this dark stranger – he still considered the Necromancer a stranger – usually didn't have much to say and usually didn't probe for answers.

"There's something I don't understand," the Necromancer said. "If your brother left the Church of Light, why did he want his son to become your squire?"

"Well, he had reasons for wanting to leave the Zakarum," Geldar replied. "Reasons that had everything to do with philosophy and nothing to do with the fact that it was the Zakarum who taught him how to fight. That was what he wanted to give to his son."

"But surely that was something he could give his son himself," Norleche suggested. "No offence meant on your skills, Geldar."

"None taken," Geldar replied. "I'm still not sure myself but that was what he told me when we met in Duncraig. I had business in Westmarch for the Zakarum so after we parted I took Sinclair with me and we went to Tristram. It was when we were on our way back north that I realised he was dead."

"How so?" Norleche asked.

"I'm not sure," Geldar admitted. "It was a feeling that I had, I always sensed that Lemnar and I had some sort of connection but at that moment something severed it. It had to be death."

"You know this is so?" Norleche asked. "Or is it merely a result of your deductions."

"A result of my deductions," "Geldar repeated. "Deckard Cain has tried to convince me that he might be still alive, but I am not convinced."

"Not quite," Norleche replied. "If I recall correctly he said that your brother was not dead, not that he was still alive."

"It's the same thing," Geldar protested.

"There are many planes of existence between life and death," Norleche told him. "Some people call it limbo, others such as yourself purgatory, but us that serve Rathma know it is merely continued existence."

"What are you talking about?" Geldar asked.

"In many ways Diablo may be dead," Norleche said. "But like your brother, he walks between Heaven and Hell in a mortal body. Think on that."

Geldar did, long after they left the waypoint and were heading to the inn to stow their gear. Lemnar was dead, wasn't he? _Wasn't he?_


	25. Chapter XXII

**Chapter XXII**

The three were oddly silent that night over dinner, staring at their plates. Tallia, one of Atma's workers, noticed this when she came past with the ale. What had happened out there today? She didn't let her mind ponder on this, but instead she went into the backroom and returned to the table. She placed something on there and watched their response.

"I'll be watching you," she said. "Don't try to leave here with it, some mage left it here years ago and it's supposed to ease tension. If good food, good company and drink don't make you leave here feeling better then there's something wrong with you."

Geldar stared at her as she left the examined what she had put on the table. It was a dagger, pretty sharp by the looks of it and extremely small and light. He passed it to Talina.

"It's not of a kind that I've seen before," she said, passing it to Norleche who looked at it with obvious interest. "Do you know what it is?"

"I'm not sure of its name," Norleche said, handling the dagger carefully. "But I know what this is for." He ran his finger along the blade, it came away bloody. "You try it," he said to Talina.

Talina stroked the blade of the dagger, tentatively at first and then deeper. For some reason it would not cut her.

"Strange," she said, handing it back to Geldar.

To his immense surprised he cut himself on it.

"I don't understand," Geldar said, sucking his cut finger. "Why does it cut some and not others?"

"A dagger such as this only cuts certain people," Norleche said solemnly. "Those who are marked for death."

"Death?" Geldar said in surprise. "Are you sure?"  
"So sure as I already know this myself," Norleche replied. "My own death comes sooner than you think, but sooner still is yours."

"That's impossible," Talina said.

"How?" Norleche replied. "We brush with death everyday out in the desert, why not the next blow be the last? But have no fear, my friend," Norleche said with a smile. "While the sun still shines in the sky, death you need not fear."

"Thanks for the warning," Geldar said, putting a few coins on the table. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll take a walk while I still can."

"Did you have to mention that to him?" Talina accused when Geldar had gone. "He's sore at the death of his brother and the loss of his squire. His own death is the last thing on his mind."

"Or perhaps it is the first," Norleche reminded her. "He knows his own death would hinder him greatly in recovering Sinclair, and finding out what really happened to his brother."

"You know something," Talina said. "You and Cain know something about Geldar's brother and you haven't told him yet. Why haven't you? He deserves answers; you know that as well as I do."

"He will come to know when the time is right for him to," Norleche said, flexing his long fingers on the tabletop. "Believe me; if he were to know what I do it would hinder him greatly in his quest for Sinclair."

"I think not," Talina challenged.

"Very soon it will be only Cain who knows this," Norleche said darkly. "My own death comes before his knowledge of these facts."

"Don't talk nonsense," Talina rebuked.

"I never do," Norleche replied.

The moon was rising over the ocean when Geldar emerged from the steamy insides of the Jewel. Geldar walked to the port, sitting on the edge of the dock and absorbing the silence of the night. Or whatever silence there was amongst the inhumane cries in the distance and the soft breaking of the waves below his feet.

He felt his eyelids get heavy; it had been a long day after all.

"Having a look at the moon, are you?" Geldar turned and noticed a young woman was standing behind him. "Do you mind if I join you?" Without waiting for an answer she sat beside him, too close for comfort but he tried to bear it.

She wore a loose, low-cut dress and her dark hair floated around her face. He could smell her perfume, a soft, exotic scent that seemed to permeate her very being.

"I'm scared," she said in a small voice, leaning up against him.

"There's nothing to be scared of," Geldar told her. "Griez has the town on a strict watch and Drognan keeps the demons at bay with his magic."

"It's Griez that I'm afraid of," she said softly, and he looked at her in surprise.

"Griez might be a bit thick, but he's not likely to hurt anyone," Geldar said.

"He killed my brother," the girl said, her large eyes imploring him to do something. "He wanted me and my brother told him he never would have me, so he sent my brother on a suicide mission," she turned away, staring at the moon. "I've been able to repel his advances a few times but I'm afraid I can no longer."

"I'll talk to him, then," Geldar promised her, putting his hand gently on her shoulder.

"That won't do any good," she said. "You'll have to be a bit more forceful."

"Forceful?" Geldar asked.

"You may have to threaten him," the girl said.

"I don't make threats," Geldar said. "It's not the way of the Zakarum, but I'll talk to him and get him to see reason."

"Please," she said, staring at him with tears in her eyes. "You've got to help me, isn't there anything you can do?"

"I…" Geldar found himself lost for words, and lost in her gaze. He could feel his desire for her emerging from within, an urge he was having a problem controlling. Sweat poured down his face and he could hear a voice in the distance calling him.

"Geldar!" He heard someone saying.

"Kiss me," the girl hissed, she opened her eyes and he could see flames in her pupils. He could feel himself drawn towards her, his lips were almost on hers…

"Geldar!"

He opened his eyes and felt his face being slapped, he was lying down on the dock and Talina and Norleche were standing over him. A pair of strong hands helped him to his feet.

"You were trying to kill yourself," Talina told him. "You were just about to step into the water."

"Where's the girl?" Geldar asked.

"What girl?" Talina looked puzzled. "I was watching you for several minutes, there was no one else there."

"You must have been dreaming," Norleche said. "You were asleep and we were discussing whether to wake you or not then you started acting strangely."

"But there was a girl," Geldar said then shook his head. "Never mind, thanks for saving me."

"You've already done it to me several times over," Talina said and she walked off without a word.

"I wonder," Geldar said thoughtfully to the Necromancer. "If she knows at all how to accept thanks."

"Probably not," Norleche replied.

Early the next morning they were on their way again, Norleche had the bone to direct him and Geldar consulted the map to check they were on the right track. After several false starts they stopped at a tomb about midmorning.

"How do you know this is the right one?" Talina asked.

"I am certain," Norleche replied. "Question me not on how I know this."

"Whatever," Talina said, squinting through the collapsing stonework. "Sure smells like a tomb," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Well," she got out a dagger. "There's only one way to find out."

It didn't take long to clear the entrance, just as rhe dust was clearing Norleche pressed the bone into the sand so it stood up. The bone sank into the sand, they waited but it didn't rise.

"About time," Talina said impatiently. "Now, Geldar could we have a little light?"

"Willing to oblige," Geldar said with a smile as he summoned his defiance aura.

"Now," Talina closed her eyes and concentrated. "There are many undead in here," she said when she opened them. And they go far below until they are living."

"So there's something alive down there amongst all that undead?" Geldar asked her.

"That's what I said, didn't I?" Talina teased.

"We enter," Norleche said, taking a step inside.

After a few more kills once inside, Norleche insisted they wait for a moment while he did something with the bodies. Talina turned away, not wanting to watch, but Geldar looked on in curiosity.

Norleche stroked on of the corpses and thrust his hand down the creature's mouth. He muttered an incantation and the body exploded. Stepping out of the flesh was a skeleton. He did this again and again until he had about ten ready to do his bidding.

Some carried axes and shields but two of them didn't, instead flashes of light emerged from where their hands should be. Flashes of blue light.

"It's a cold attack," Norleche told them. "Should slow them down, makes them harder to resurrect."

"You can do others?" Geldar asked.

"Of course," Norleche said. "Whatever is required."

There came shouts from the next room but Talina was already on it, throwing several javelins and already onto a third. Norleche and Geldar went to stand beside her, inspecting the situation.

"Do you have an aura that helps offensively?" Norleche asked.

"Yes, but I don't like to use it," Geldar replied.

"Blow your hesitations," Talina said unfeelingly. "There's a lot more out there than we can see here."

Grudgingly, Geldar focused as he drew his sword ad summoned his blessed aim aura. There were other offensive skills to use, of course, but there wasn't time for anything more difficult.

"We're going to charge straight at them," Norleche said. "Forget guerrilla tactics."

"Why the sudden change?" Geldar asked.

"Shut up and fight," Talina chided. "On my signal," she said, rubbing something onto her javelin shaft. "And…now!"

Geldar ran, his shield in front of him and his sword extended out to his side, the flat of the blade to the front. He felled skeletons which Norleche used as fuel for his explosions, then out of nowhere Norleche summoned a huge spear of bone and hurled it forward. It went throw two skeletons, three, four, their bodies reduced to nothing but piles of bones.

Talina's javelins turned to bolts of lightning the moment they left her hands, splintering the bodies and leaving an acrid smell behind. On either side of them were Norleche's skeletons, or rather the remains of them. There were about four holding axes while the two hurling cold attacks kept at a distance.

Geldar then noticed how Norleche worked with his skeletons, they froze the enemies in mid-motion and he smashed them into chunks of ice with his bone wand. Yet it only took a few seconds of Geldar's attention before he had to dodge the next blow.

"No mummies?" Geldar asked Talina.

"No, no tomb guardians here," she answered. "See if you can do something about that," she pointed to a large sarcophagus where mummy after mummy was emerging.

Geldar ran straight towards it with his shield in front stunning the mummy that was emerging which he executed with a few well placed blows with the flat of his sword. He then focused his attack on the sarcophagus itself, hacking away its inscriptions and ritual gems. But as he did so he was hindered as another mummy came out and started attacking him. Three mummies later, he had the sarcophagus destroyed.

He then turned around to see Talina and Norleche standing in a sea of bodies. There was not one enemy left standing.

"Did I miss anything?" Geldar asked.

"Not much," Talina said, she turned to Norleche. "What was that you had there? It looked like a large bone."

"It's called the Talon of Trag'Oul," Norleche replied. "Or simply a spear made of bone that I can materialise. It impales anything, not just the undead but any enemy."

"But it can just be made, out of nothing?" Geldar asked. "Out of thin air?"

"There are many things that can just be summoned if you know how," Norleche replied. "You do this yourself."

"My strength comes from within," Geldar said. "Not from what surrounds me, that can easily be tainted by Evil."

"And do you trust yourself enough to control what you summon?" Norleche replied. "I don't think you do, I think your beliefs have left you closed minded on other aspects of life."

"Tell me about it," Talina agreed. "Your way is not the only way."

"I agree," Geldar said. "But this is from what I've seen, not from what I've been taught."

"I see," Talina said icily. "Well, we better keep on."

They descended to the next level then called a halt after another fight to regroup. Geldar leaned against the wall, staring into space. Norleche and Talina were comparing histories. While the Necromancer was cagey on where he came from, he related his journey west from Kehjistan. He had arrived on one of the last ships to leave Lut Gholein and had spoken to no one, intent on searching from the Tomb of Tal Rasha.

"That must be where we crossed paths," he said. "I hate to tell you but there's no way we are near the tomb."

"What do you mean?" Talina asked. "Something of the like must be out there, somewhere."

"Yes, but this is not the way of going about it," Norleche told her. "The Horadrim would not have imprisoned Baal in a tomb so easily stumbled upon."

"Point," Talina conceded. "But how do we find it then? What do you say?"

"It's entirely possible that Jerryn might know something," Norleche said. "He is hiding something, I'll give you that. But he doesn't know where it is, neither does Drognan."

"So you are saying he know something," Talina said slowly. "He is just not aware of it."

"Precisely," Norleche agreed. "But he'll tell us what he is hiding, eventually."

"Eventually," Talina said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Either that or he'll crack," she said with a grin and walked over to Geldar. "Wake up," she said, knocking on his helmet.

"I am awake," Geldar said, he stepped away from the wall. "Well?" He asked them.

"We'll keep going," Talina said, picking up her javelins and walking off.


	26. Chapter XXIII

**Chapter XXIII**

When they finally descended to the third level and dealt with what they had met on the stairs. Talina scanned the area with inner sight, when she opened her eyes she didn't look happy.

"Over there," she said, pointing in one direction. "That's where the living are amongst the undead, they are guarding…something. What is it we are looking for again?"

"The shaft and headpiece of a Horadric Staff," Geldar told her. "And a Horadric to unite them."

"It must be over there then," Norleche reasoned. "But they're not the only vermin down here."

"Tell me something I don't know," Talina said cuttingly as she strode off with Geldar and Norleche in tow.

"Wait one moment," Norleche said, he stopped and muttered an incantation then spat on the ground. From the space he spat on a human figure appeared, made entirely from mud and clay. It looked at Norleche in gratitude.

"Is that a golem?" Geldar asked, Norleche nodded. "My brother and I summoned one once, a mistake and we were punished severely for it. Yet it didn't look like that."

"Yours was probably grey and collapsed like a stone statue when it was destroyed," Norleche said cuttingly. "Anyone can learn that from a book if you have the patience and conviction, but only a true Priest of Rathma can animate a clay golem." He looked at them in surprise. "Weren't we just leaving?"

In the centre of four lit pillars was a small chest, Geldar was convinced that it contained their prize. Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing there. Surrounding it were about seven huntresses as well as a bevy of undead and a tomb guardian.

"Take out the tomb guardian," Norleche said to his skeleton mages and the golem. "I'll be there to add to your blows. Talina, you keep the cats busy and Geldar keep everything else off her."

"Nice strategy," Talina said. "Are we ready?"

"Readier than ever," Geldar replied, and on Talina's signal they moved out.

As always, Norleche accompanied his skeleton's cold attacks with his own blunt blows, hoping to bring the tomb guardian down. But Geldar's task was no easier, fending off skeletons and undead from Talina's back while she focused her attack on the cats. And whenever there was a hole in Norleche's attack, the tomb guardian used it to resurrect his fallen minions.

Finally the large mummy breathed his last and Norleche was able to help Geldar with the remaining undead. Quickly they cut a hole in their offensive, right through to where Talina was fighting the cats.

"What took you so long?" Talina asked breathlessly.

"No time for talk," Geldar said, quickly slashing the limbs of a huntress and cutting her throat.

"You got that right," Talina countered as she fended off several cats that were surrounding her.

Norleche ignored them as he worked side-by-side with his golem on the leader, and when the golem crumbled to dust, Norleche pressed his attack. Slashing the cat's neck with a poisonous dagger and she collapsed to the floor, howling and spluttering as she died.

"That went well," Norleche said lightly when he noticed that they were the only ones left standing.

"Let's see what we have," Geldar said, smashing the lock of the chest and opening it. He took out a small box made of cold with inscriptions all over it. "It looks like the Horadric Cube," he said, showing it to them and he pressed a button. The cube unfolded to a huge size, one of them could easily have fit inside the unfolded form.

"There's a lot of magic in this," Talina said as Geldar handed her the cube, she handed it on to Norleche.

"It's very old," he observed, trying to make out the writing. "I can't read it, but there's nothing of Evil within this."

"You can put something inside it," Talina observed, taking a dagger and putting inside the unfolded form. She pressed the other button. "It's not doing anything," she said.

"Cain will tell us more about this," Geldar said as he held it in his hands.

"You have quite a treasure there in that Horadric Cube," Cain said after he examined it. "It requires simple experimentation, but you should be able to find some formulae, he paused for a few minutes then pointed out one of the buttons. "This is the transmute button, and this other button opens and closes it. You still have to find the shaft and headpiece."

"Where would we find something like that?" Geldar asked. "The cube we found in a tomb, but there aren't that many out there beyond where we were."

"Could anyone else have realised the power behind the shaft?" Norleche asked. "They might have taken it, and hidden it."

"Perhaps," Cain said thoughtfully. "Who can truly know the means Evil will take towards destruction? I'd advise you took keep looking, if you find any leads seek them out until they are useless."

"So," Talina said as they were walking away. "We're just back to square one."

"No we're not," Geldar pointed out. "We have the cube."

"But I thought the cube would lead us to the shaft and the shaft to the headpiece," Talina protested.

"I don't think the Horadrim were that fond of scavenger hunts, Talina," Norleche said dryly. "Besides," he added. "Cain said that they would reveal themselves as we need them. We need to be patient."

Talina frowned and didn't say anything else as they headed back towards the waypoint.

They were resting by a well in the midafternoon when suddenly all the creatures around them became restless, running for the shelter of the oases or nearby caves. Norleche immediately observed this activity and quickly asked Geldar to produce his map.

"This is where we are, The Far Oasis," Geldar said, holding the map carefully as the wind started to pick up. "This could get dangerous!" He said, looking around warily.

"There's nowhere near that's big enough for all of us," Norleche concluded mournfully.

"Hey," Talina ran up to them from some distance away. "I've found…something that we can wait out the storm in."

The sands were beginning to form clouds as the followed Talina.

"Though I'm not sure about it," she said as they ran. "It looks like where one of those sand grubs would live."

Talina stopped at a hole in the sand, it was just big enough for them to slide through one at a time.

"Well don't just stand there," Norleche said, giving him a push towards it. "Get down there!"

"But it's all slimy and ahhhh!" Geldar's words dissolved into a scream as his slid down into blackness.

"Come on," Norleche said to Talina, giving her a nudge. "You're next."

Talina didn't protest as she slid down the hole, she merely winced as the full power of the smell erupted. Norleche followed her a few seconds later.

"What an incredible smell you've discovered!" Geldar said as Talina slid into view.

She grimaced as she stepped in a pile of goo, and then decided not to hit Geldar. She just ignored him as she scraped the muck off her greaves. Soon after, Norleche followed her.

"I don't like this," Talina said, looking around at the slimy cavern they were in. "Perhaps it was a mistake coming down here."

"It is a place to whether the sandstorm," Norleche pointed out calmly. "But I think our coming here was not entirely by coincidence."

"So you think either the Horadric shaft or headpiece could be down here?" Geldar asked.

"Precisely," Norleche answered. "We need to make thorough search of these tunnels. Legend has it in these parts that each sand maggot is merely spawn from a single great source."

"Such as the mother of all sand maggots?" Talina asked sceptically.

"Something of the like," Norleche replied.

"It's just a story," Talina dismissed as they walked towards a goo-covered doorway.

"Yes," Norleche agreed. "And so is the Tale of the Three, just a story."

The corridors were narrow and twisting, the sand maggots seemed to lurk in corners and hide their eggs there, spitting poison from this position. After numerous attacks involving running into each other and dangerous encountered with each other weapons, Geldar called to a halt in a side chamber.

"This is clearly not going to work," Geldar said. "All of us fighting at once, we need to work out a system based on our attack strategies." He nodded to Talina. "Where you really shine is the ranged attacks, perhaps its best if you stay to the back."

"I don't mind," Talina said somewhat reluctantly. "While we are in tunnels that is, it's just you blocking the doorways."

"I can't help it if I have to hack through three enemies to get through," Geldar retorted, then he turned to Norleche. "No offence meant, but your skeletons and golem are only getting in the way, what are your other offensive measures that you can use?"

"I can stand back and curse them," Norleche replied. "That will help you on the melee attacks."

"It'll certainly be a lot better than fighting for fighting space with a skeleton," Geldar said. "And what's that curse you do with the flames above their heads?"

"Amplify Damage," Norleche said. "I also have Confuse which can lead them to killing each other and Iron Maiden, which works somewhat like your Thorns Aura."

"I hope we're not in her much longer," Talina said as they were leaving the room. "But who knows how deep these caverns go?"


	27. Chapter XXIV

**Chapter XXIV**

Drognan and Jerryn cautiously approached the lower levels of the palace with two of Griez's men behind them. They stopped before the doorway, the walls of flames were still there.

"All but two of my guards have gone now," Jerryn said mournfully, they had sent them down in small groups daily in an attempt to push back the Evil, but it was hopeless. Now they just wanted to see the damage done.

Drognan uttered the incantation and the flames fell, immediately several scavenger beasts ran out, chattering and screaming, the two mercenaries had their spears out and slew them on the spot.

"Get down there," Jerryn told them. "Don't try and kill them all, it's useless. Try and find where they have come from."

When the men had gone, Drognan brought up the fire wall again and Jerryn sat down in a chair near the door to wait. Drognan stood some distance away, his gaze far more inward than observing the young lord of Lut Gholein's pain.

"It seems too cruel," Jerryn said at last.

"We all have to make decisions that go against our conscience," Drognan replied. "How else are we to know the strength of out enemy?"

"Don't tell me that Tal Rasha's Tomb is beneath my palace, Drognan," Jerryn said. "It would explain what has happened, but it would have been good to know beforehand."

"If Tal Rasha's Tomb was beneath the palace I would have told you long ago," Drognan said, still not looking at Jerryn. "I think you should tell those adventurers what happened here."

"You mean, the Paladin and the Amazon?" Jerryn asked.

"You forget the third," Drognan reminded him.

"He's a Necromancer and I don't want him in my palace," Jerryn said shortly. "There's enough living dead down there as it is."

"We cannot choose who will help us," Drognan said. "My advice stands."

"I'll take note if it," Jerryn said.

"We're here!" Shouted one of the mercenaries. "Let us pass!"

Drognan uttered the incantation and the wall of fire fell, when the mercenaries had come through her raised it again. Both men were badly beaten up and one had a bad wound on his leg and had trouble walking.

"Did you locate the source?" Jerryn asked.

"There were too many to get close," one of them replied. "We went down deep, down to the third level of the cellars. Down there it's thick with vermin; if we didn't start back then we wouldn't have made it."  
"So much for courage," Jerryn spat.

"Will all do respect, Your Highness, dead men don't get paid," the mercenary replied.

"Point taken, is there anything else?" Jerryn asked.

"No sir," the mercenary replied. "If I can make one suggestion, Your Highness?"

"Make it brief," Jerryn said shortly.

"Don't send anymore of us down there," the mercenary said. "There's no one that I know that can take on what's down there."

"Perhaps," Jerryn said, more to himself than anyone else, "there's someone that _I_ know."

"And I thought it would be cooler down here," Talina said, wiping out the sweat from her helmet.

"It's the presence of Evil that gives off the heat," Geldar replied.

They were sitting in a crater just above the entrance to the third level; they had fought long and hard to get to this point but needed to gather strength for the final stretch. While Talina stomped around trying to overcome her inertia, Geldar checked his gear. Norleche didn't observe their exchange, he sat in a corner staring at the wall.

"Any thoughts on that dream you had?" Norleche asked Geldar.

"Well, I figured it could simply be temptation of sins of the flesh," Geldar replied.

"Sins of the flesh," Talina retorted but Geldar ignored her.

"As a Protector of the Word I am above temptation," Geldar continued. "My duty in this world is to present the ideal all should strive for."

"That's a pretty speech," Talina replied. "But how does it wash out in the real world?"

"It's what keeps me going," Geldar told her. "I don't know what keeps _you_ going besides the desire to kill."

"I'd rather have that than some half-baked ideal," Talina snapped.

"Half-baked?" Geldar looked at her. "How far do you want to take that?"

"As far as you want to," Talina said.

Both of them stood up and eyed each other.

"Too scared to take me on?" Geldar asked, drawing his sword.

"You wish," Talina said, positioning her shield.

"Stand down, both of you," Norleche said, stepping between them. "If you two have a dispute, settle it someplace else where we don't have enemies breathing down our necks." He looked from the Amazon to the Paladin. "Though I'd rather you didn't settle it at all, the last thing we need is a disagreement like this hanging around our necks like a millstone."

There was a long silence.

"He's right," Geldar said finally. "I shouldn't take your remarks so personally."

"And I shouldn't try to jab you in the chinks in your armour," Talina said, then she smiled. "Though you have to admit they _still_ are there."

"All the better for you to tell me then," Geldar returned.

They started to get their gear together and Norleche walked over to the hole in the ground.

"Who wants to be first?" He asked.

"Geldar?"

"Yes?"

Norleche and Geldar were pressed against the wall after another skirmish, Talina had gone ahead to chase up a feeling she had. A feeling of a very large, very strong presence.

"About that dream you had," the Necromancer said. "Have you spoken to Deckard Cain about it?"

"No, not yet, he hasn't been well," Geldar replied. "I went to see him before we went out and he was in his room at the Desert Rain. Why do you ask?"

"How much has he told you?" Norleche asked. "About what we will eventually face?"

"I know that the Lord of Terror seeks to free his brother the Lord of Destruction," Geldar replied.

"What about Lesser Evils?" Norleche said. "Have you heard of those?"

"Talina and I faced Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish," Geldar replied. "She is what Cain called a Lesser Evil."

"Well there are more in Hell, but no one knows how many," Norleche replied. "Belial the Lord of Lies, Azmodan the Lord of Sin, Choronzon the Lord of Betrayal…"

"And what does this have to do with my dream?" Geldar interrupted.

"I was getting to that," Norleche said. "What you described could very well be Malevola, the Lady of Fury."

"I don't know about fury," Geldar said. "But there wasn't any anger about her, only lust."

"Evil takes many forms," Norleche reminded him.

"I'm aware of that," Geldar said. "But how could she be in Sanctuary? Cain told me about the Dark Exile but he also said that demons really don't like it here, they prefer the Burning Hells."

"Like it or not this world has been long prophesied to be the battleground for the last battle of the Sin War," Norleche replied. "But as far as _why_ the Lesser Evils are in this world I couldn't tell you."

At this point Talina raced down the corridor, javelin and shield ready.

"Get moving!" she shouted.

"What is it?" Geldar asked running after her.

"Remember that story about the giant sand maggot beneath the desert?" Talina asked.

"The on you dismissed as superstition?" Geldar asked.

"I take that back," Talina said, stopping before a doorway. "It's true."

"So it's though there?" Norleche asked.

As if in response, three sand maggots scurried down the tunnel followed by a loud shriek coming from behind. It didn't take long to cut down the vermin, but Talina warned them they would be facing worse, much worse not much later.

Slowly they walked forward, Geldar in the lead, Norleche flanking him and Talina coming in behind.

Geldar stopped dead in the doorway and stared at the grotesque purple mass in the middle of the floor. He would have been killed outright by the advancing sand maggots if Norleche hadn't used his poison dagger on them.

Immediately Geldar reached out with Thorns and sought his attack mind. In a matter of seconds he was but a fury of movement, slashing sand maggots wherever he could. He entered the room so Talina and Norleche could attack, but they were all soon separated by the masses of writing bodies.

Geldar turned to attack the sand maggot queen but it immediately launched a sand maggot in his face, scratching his cheek and drawing blood, but he ignored it and finished it off with a few strokes so he could continue the attack on its mother.

"Talina!" he shouted over the din. "I need you to cover me! Get any of the maggots that are being born so I can kill this one."

"What about the babies?" Talina shouted back, she was stabbing some of the eggs at this point.

"One catastrophe at a time!" Geldar retorted, then turned back to his quarry.

When he and Lemnar had been raised by the Zakarum monks in the Temple of Light in Kurast they had first mastered the convictions of the Light, and how they could be used to counter evil. They had also been taught them within them was a calm centre, a central core that could be accessed in time of need. If they managed to do this they could unleash an untold level of power.

Geldar sought after that space now within himself and everything ceased to exist around him, Talina, Norleche, the other sand maggots, there was only him and the giant sand maggot queen. Merely a threat to order that needed to be exterminated, a perversion that must be vanquished. Cut after cut, stroke after stroke his arm was a blur as it hacked at the flesh, he heard a great shriek that rocked the entire room but he kept on fighting, willing it to die, it had to be done.

Suddenly Talina was shaking his arm.

"What?" Geldar asked, he looked at her in annoyance, couldn't she he was _busy_.

"It's dead, Geldar," Talina said, she pointed at the blood and mangled flesh on the floor. "Where were you?"

"Somewhere between here and there," Geldar replied, looking over his handiwork. "Are they all gone?"

"Every last one," Talina said. "But I think we may have something."

She held up a long rod made of pure gold, it was very heavy when he held it and there were many runes and engravings on it. At the top were a few holes where jewels were missing.

"Do you know what it is?" Talina asked.

"No," Geldar replied. "But it's what we came here for."


	28. Chapter XXV

**Chapter XXV**

"The Staff of Kings, you astound me!" Cain said with some admiration. "This is clearly an auspicious sign. Where did you find it by any chance?"

They were sitting on benches near the port, the afternoon had turned hot and the only respite was the sea breeze. They weren't the only ones, children played dangerously close to the edge while their mothers gossiped, old men traded war stories or gambled on the throws of bone dice.

"At the bottom of a hole guarded by an overlarge sand maggot," Talina replied. "Was it used by a king of old?"

"No, merely that it was only worthy to be used by a king," Cain explained. "It was crafted long ago by the Horadric Mage Aread Telel, only he was worthy of using it. When he was slain unexpectedly it was hidden," he turned the staff over in his hands with reverence.

"I trust that you are well now?" Geldar asked.

"The heat has never is kind to me," the sage replied, placing the staff gently beside him. "Guard it closely." He said to Talina.

"I will," she promised. "If you don't mind, I have to see Fara now."

She stomped off without looking back.

"She still thinks that I'll be going to Philios with her," Cain said when she had left.

"And won't you?" Norleche asked.

"It depends how events have unfold here," Cain replied. "Diablo nears his goal; we have little time to lose. Remember my friend, Andariel gave herself willingly to Diablo's cause. It would be prudent to assume that the other Evils will attempt to aid their master as well."

"You talk as if Diablo is still here," Geldar said. "I was under the impression that he left before we arrived. Meshif was saying that another ship took out a dark cloaked stranger at the request of Jerryn, a quite expensive request if I understand."

"But was that the Wanderer?" Cain asked. "Drognan told me that the Lord of Terror brought a mortal man with him to see to his needs, could it be that the man the ship took was not Diablo but that man?"

"It is entirely possible," Norleche said. "But would we know we know if the Tomb has been breached?"

"Drognan would have read it in the stars," Cain replied. "As he foretold our coming and our plight."

There was a long silence.

"You were talking about Lesser Evils," Geldar said after a while. "To what extent could they penetrate into our realm without our knowing?"

"What do you mean?" Cain asked.

Geldar told Cain about his dream and what Norleche had said, the Horadric Sage thought long and hard about this for a while.

"I won't disagree that it _might_ have been Malevola," Cain said finally. "But the Lady of Fury has only been known by name, none have seen her form. While many foolish mages have sought to evoke Terror, Betrayal and Destruction there are no records—as far as I know—of what this demoness would look like."

"Not that I can blame them for not evoking her," Geldar said. "Even thinking about it makes my skin creep."

"There's enough evil in the hearts and minds of mortal man without bringing it in from other realms," Cain said. "Not that it was our doing entirely."

"What do you mean by that?" Norleche asked. "You mean to say that even we mortals could have brought about the Sin War?"

"Not like that," Cain replied. "I mean that perhaps by having power over other beings, even other humans, may have thinned that curtain between Heaven and Hell."

"So if someone could so choose the good of all over power they could turn the tide?" Geldar asked.

"It will not be as simple as that," Cain told him. "But as for your dream Geldar, I'll ask Drognan. He has many tomes of knowledge and may have some answers.'

"So this is just in?" Talina asked as she tested the weight of the pilum she held.

"More like a few months ago, before the port was closed," Fara answered rather mournfully. "We had quite good equipment coming in, now I'm managing with what I have and making copies if I can. There should be a caravan arriving from Khanduras in a few days, perhaps I'll have some more then."

"The arms and armour from the West aren't nearly as good as the ones of the East," Talina reminded her.

"Yes, but there could be some traded from Kingsport," Fara said.

"Impressive," Talina said, testing the balance in one hand. "Most impressive." She got out her moneybag. "How many can I get?"

"I can give you twenty five for two hundred pieces of gold," Fara said.

"That isn't much," Talina said.

"I'm sorry, but that's all I can offer," Fara replied.

"It'll do," Talina said, surrendering her money reluctantly.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Fara said with a half-smile.

Carrying her pilums under one arm, Katana walked back to the Desert Rain Inn.

The sun was setting on Lut Gholein and people were heading indoors, the Jewel of the City began to fill with the usual crowd. Cain, Talina, Norleche and Geldar sat in the usual table by the window in the far corner of the tavern.

"I spoke to Griez this afternoon and he said that he'd never heard of a sand maggot lair," Geldar said, spearing his food with his fork. "And the Far Oasis is only a name on a map to him."

"Well we've been in uncharted territory before," Talina said. "It's nothing new, we just keep going through the desert."

"There's supposed to be a city hidden somewhere out in the desert," Cain said. "A river used to run through it but it long ago dried up and the people left."

"Was it around when you were here last?" Geldar asked, he had told them a little of his last journey east.

"No, it was long since abandoned," Cain replied. "The name is lost to the ages, all it is known as is the Lost City."

"That reminds me," Talina said. "There's some sort of stele out in the desert where travellers have carved their names, you name is on there."

"That was an old watering hole, also gone since the Evil have emerged," Cain said. "It's been some fifty years since I have last been in Lut Gholein, and many things have changed since then." He stared into space for a moment. "The city was somewhat larger," he said. "There were little townships outside the main walls, now gone. Jerryn's father Pazair was Lord of Lut Gholein, he was making war in the north, trying to add to his empire but the druids kept repelling him."

"He tried to conquer Scosglen?" Geldar asked incredulously.

"Like it or not Geldar, history is written by the victors using the blood of the vanquished," Cain said. "These past few years it's died down mainly because the Three have emerged from hiding."

"Wouldn't that stir up unrest in the hearts and mind of men?" Norleche said.

"If that is the intent then yes," Cain said.

"But you say as if it isn't," Talina pointed out.

"First they plan to unite," Cain explained. "If that happens the world will cease to exist as we know it. That's why they have to be stopped."

"Fara said a caravan is expected in a few days," Talina said to Elzix when they returned to the desert rain.

"Should have been through ages ago," Elzix replied. "We received word last night when Lord Jerryn's messengers returned. But there were two men who arrived last late night, they said they saw something strange."

"What was it?' Talina asked, nothing could be discounted in these times as false.

"They said they had witnessed some form of evil magic," Elzix replied. "The story goes that there was a gathering of giant snake creatures performing some arcane ritual."

"And what do you make of it?" Talina asked.

"They sound like the Serpent Men of the desert," Elzix replied. "Though if you wanted to know more you'd have to ask Fara or Drognan, they would know more."

"Thanks, it might be useful," Talina said then bid him goodnight.

"So what do you think?" Talina asked Geldar when she had finished telling him of the Serpent Men the next morning when they were on their way again.

"I'm not quite sure what to make of it," Geldar confessed. "Did you ask Drognan or Cain?"

"Cain confessed his own ignorance and Drognan is looking through his manuscripts," Talina confessed. "They didn't have any answers."

"In my order snakes are held in special reverence," Norleche said as they climbed up a mesa. "The fact that they shed their skin is an allegory of immortality."

"I though that your order welcomed death when it came," Geldar countered.

"Yes, but knowing the limits of our own mortality allows us to reach beyond it," Norleche replied, then he added when he noticed their confusion. "Their venom is strong medicine as well. But as for Serpent Men…" his voice trailed off. "I've heard stories of course, but it is had not to discount them given what is happening."

"That's what I thought," Talina agreed.

"You've come a long way," Geldar teased. "I seem to remember a time when you would dismiss any kind of fantastic story as an elaborate perversion of the truth."

"Shut your mouth," Talina rebuked, they had come to another mountain pass meaning they were entering a new area. "What's beyond here?"

Geldar looked at the map. "The Lost City it seems," he said. "I suppose this is what Cain was talking about."

"Look sharp," Talina said as they left the mountain pass.

At that moment it all went dark as if a large cloud had passed over the sun. They kept walking but it persisted.

"Is it an eclipse?" Talina asked, she looked up cautiously. "Great Athulua!"

"What is it?" Geldar asked, following her line of vision. "By Akarat!"

Norleche uttered a curse in a language no one could understand, but it was in all their minds. This was no eclipse; the sun had completely disappeared from the sky as if it never had existed.

"I have a very bad feeling about this," Geldar said, staring at the sky.

It was this moment that the saber cats chose to attack.


	29. Chapter XXVI

**Chapter XXVI**

Lut Gholein was deadly silent, every man, woman and child was on the street, anxiously watching the sky for the sun to return. Men argued amongst each other, young children started to cry and girls clung close to their mothers for comfort.

In the midst of it all was Fara, she didn't know what had caused the sun to cease to shine, but she had an idea. Her face was grim, but she went back to her forge if only for something to do.

"What happened?" It was Tallia, she looked quite scared.

"This unnatural nightfall is no doubt caused by evil sorcery," she answered. "Drognan might know what we are dealing with. He is more learned in the ways of the heavens than I am."

"Will the sun return?" Tallia asked, the people were starting to disperse from the square now.

"I cannot say," she said. "Try to have faith."

Fara went to find Drognan, he was poring over his records and looked as if he didn't want to be disturbed.

"I'm searching through the old annals," Drognan said when she came in. "It's nothing natural, that I can state for certain." He looked outside at the unnatural night. "It's not right, that's all I can say."

"Tell me something I don't know," Fara said. "Do you suppose this has to do with anything our heroes encountered in the desert?"

"Perhaps," Drognan mused. "But I don't know if it is within my capabilities to make the light return."

"I can help," Fara offered. "And Deckard Cain will assist I am sure."

"It may be beyond all of us," Drognan replied grimly.

It was hard fighting in the dark, but they made the best they could. Talina had to keep casting Inner Sight in order for them to see their attackers; there were several moments when all she could make was a few random stabs in the dark as so much of her mind was set on killing the vermin that sought to kill her.

Geldar cast out Thorns as far as he could, making sure both Norleche and Talina were affected. It was all he could do to make sure any melee hits they _did _receive did more harm to the attacker than them.

It took longer than usual, but at last the final saber cat collapsed to the ground and died. They stood in a huddle accessing the situation, Talina was for pushing on light or no light but Geldar and Norleche pointed out the folly of heading off into the unknown.

"We've never attacked at night before," Geldar pointed out. "From what I'm told the vermin that dwell at night are worse than the ones by day."

"He is right," Norleche replied. "And we need answers of what has happened, perhaps Drognan or Cain know something about it."

"I say it's to do with those Serpent Men," Talina insisted. "If we find them and kill them we perhaps can restore light to the world."

"All the same we still need to know what we are up against," Geldar said. "I'll feel much more secure marching into the dark if I know what to look for."

"As do I," Norleche agreed.

"Aren't you boys a little old to be afraid of the dark?" Talina mocked.

"Well _we_ are going back," Geldar said. "If you want to know more about what you are going to fight, then come with us."

"Do you really think she'll go out on her own?" Norleche asked as they walked away.

"She may have a smart mouth but she's not stupid," Geldar replied. "Count to ten."

At the count of eight Talina was shouting for them to wait.

The panic that had seized the town earlier had subsided somewhat, there still were fearful faces among the townspeople as they emerged from the waypoint, but at least with the torches and lamps lit it was easier to see.

They found Cain sitting by the well talking to Lysander, both seemed confused by what had happened. Talina told them about the Serpent Men in the desert, Cain took it into account but refused to take it seriously.

"Drognan may have some advice on this matter. Hmm…," he looked at the sky and stroked his short beard. "I think I'll speak with him myself."

"We'll come with you," Geldar offered.

"I've been researching this lengthy eclipse and I believe it to be the work of Claw Vipers," Drognan said when they arrived.

"Such as the Serpent Men that Elzix was saying?" Talina asked.

"The very same," Drognan replied. "Find their temple between the desert sands and you may find the source of this curse. I'm still looking through the annals; I'll let you know if I turn up anything."

"Claw Vipers," Talina said thoughtfully as they walked back to the marketplace, they all were silent she turned to Cain. "Do you know anything thing of the like?"

"I have only knowledge of what I have been told," Cain replied. "There are of course stories of Serpent Men in the desert who kidnap those who are deemed unworthy by society. Mothers normally place charms above the beds of their children in order to repel them."

"But that hasn't happened here," Geldar pointed out.

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Talina said tersely, she looked at Geldar and Norleche. "We better get back out there then."

"But it's dark," Geldar pointed out.

"And it's not going to get any lighter if we just stand here," Talina said. "What are we waiting for?"

"She was against coming back here," Geldar said to Cain.

"I can see that's plain," Cain said, looking from Talina to Geldar. "Though you were right to come back for more information, now you must scout out a temple of the Claw Vipers."

The Lost City proved to be an even worse place for enemies than the desert. Saber cats, hell slingers and night slingers were everywhere, often congregating in collapsing buildings that had only one entrance.

Along with the cats were what Norleche identified as sand raiders. Huge multi-armed monsters that held a sword in each hand and had a fire and cold attack. The found a waypoint midway but no one was keen on going back to Lut Gholein.

Between bouts, Geldar saw more and more of this abandoned city. They had a massive battle on what he identified as a dry river bed, and he killed three saber cats with one stroke of his sword on the roof of what must have been some sort of meeting hall. Elsewhere there were pieces of statue, but this was normal as they were all over the desert, the remains of temples to primitive deities.

They finally made it to the rocky pass on the other side and here, as far as Geldar could see, the path ended. In front of them was a vast temple with two tall pillars outside. As they approached they noticed fire raining from them and had to run to the door to avoid the flames.

"I don't know what to expect," Talina said as they were about to enter. "Do you want me to scout ahead?"

Geldar vetoed this.

"You can easily be trapped inside by enemies," he pointed out. "How are we supposed to know if you need help?"

"I agree," Norleche said. "We go in together."

"All set?" Geldar asked, he wiped the blood off his sword and re-positioned his shield.

"Ready," Talina said.

"Ready," Norleche said.

"In the name of the Light then," Geldar said and they went down the stairs.

The first thing Geldar was aware of was the repulsive stench that completely surrounded them. The second thing was the sound of hissing and the slithering sound of approaching snakes.

"Talina, get against the wall and hold your shield up," Geldar shouted. "Norleche, get behind us."

The Amazon didn't argue, they ran into a corner of the temple and positioned their shield so they covered the vital parts of their body. Geldar could feel them scratching at his greaves, but instead he focused for the next attack.

With his shield out he charged, knocking the giant serpent back with the shield and smashing it several times on the side of the head with the flat of his sword. Finally when it was knocked out he cut its throat.

"Nice work," Talina said approvingly, then came the unmistakable sound of more Claw Vipers approaching. "Here comes some more."

The Claw Vipers were more aggressive than anything they had combated out in the desert; they seemed to have an insatiable thirst for blood, even the blood of each other. Geldar managed to overcome them by tapping into that calm centre to attack in a fury of zeal, Talina with her lighting bolt while Norleche stepped back and cursed and used the bodies as bombs for the unwary.

"This is a bit of an odd request," Geldar said to Norleche when they were done. "But could you conjure up a cold attack skeleton? It would help us a lot."

"Glad to know that my services are wanted," Norleche said, in a few seconds not just one but three mage skeletons were standing beside him with flashes of blue where their hands should be.

"We better keep on," Talina said, walking off with her pilum held ready.

"Does she ever stop?" Norleche asked Geldar.

"Yes," Geldar replied. "But involves knocking her out."

"I heard that," Talina called back.

They soon discovered that Claw Vipers hunted in packs, and coupled with hoards of undead this caused more difficulty than usual. After another skirmish, they lowered another doorway and stepped into the middle of a large room. Immediately all the torches fired to life and a large group of Claw Vipers swarmed around them in a ring.

"Look sharp!" Geldar shouted just as Norleche cast a curse that repelled about half of them.

The Necromancer then turned to cast another curse, this time the Claw Vipers turned around and started attacking each other.

"What the—" Geldar almost stopped in his offensive.

"Don't ask," Talina interrupted, throwing a few pilums at the advancing Claw Vipers. "Just fight, it'll be less for us to kill."

"Fall back," Norleche called. "Towards the doorway, we can't handle this many."

Not for the first time, Talina didn't listen. As Geldar fell back in his attack, Talina pressed forward further. Again and again she cast her weapon in a circle around her, killing any enemies that happened to be close. But within a few minutes she was cut off from the others.

"Cut a path for me," Talina shouted, trying to hide the fear in her voice. Despite her success in cutting them down she doubt she could handle this many on her own.

Geldar walked toward her, cutting down enemies as he went, Talina turned to step towards him when it happened. A Claw Viper she thought slain rose up behind her and slashed her across the shoulder blade.

"AHHHH!" Talina screamed, she went down on one knee and made as if to attack, but her weapon cluttered uselessly to the ground. Where was he dagger? She couldn't reach it, she dropped to the ground and tried to roll out of the monster's coming attack, but several corpses were in the way. In the eyes of the Claw Viper she saw her own death, but she didn't close her eyes, why should she? She flirted with it enough in how she chose to live her life.

Just as the Claw Viper raised its head to strike Geldar cut it down, he helped Talina to her feet and pulled her out of the battle. As he half-carried her out of harms way she noticed the vast pile of bodies that was building up as a result of Norleche's corpse explosions, there were only a few Claw Vipers left.

Once they got to a corner Talina sat on an upturned sarcophagus, she was conscious of the weakened state of her right arm but it wasn't until then that she noticed the flow of blood that reached her elbow.

"Hold still," Geldar said, he gently peeled off her armour to inspect the wound. "Looks nasty, there's some kind of toxin making you bleed." He reached under his armour and tore strips off his tunic. "I can't do anything here; we'll have to go back to town."

"Just what we need," Talina lamented, wincing slightly as he bandaged her shoulder. "I should have fallen back when I had the chance."

"We all make wrong decisions in the heat of the moment," Norleche said, he sat beside her on the sarcophagus. "Just be thankful your life wasn't taken in exchange for your folly. Besides," he added optimistically, "perhaps Drognan will have some more answers about what we are up against."

"But we know this," Talina pointed out.

"We never know what we face until we actually face it," Geldar reminded her. "Can you walk?"

"It's only my shoulder," Talina retorted. "I'm not an invalid."

"That is obvious," Norleche observed.


	30. Chapter XXVII

**Chapter XXVII**

"I'm glad I found you," Drognan said when Geldar approached his residence. "I've discovered a reference to a similar eclipse several hundred years ago. It says that some desert-dwelling snake demons had erected an evil altar, which caused the sun to go black."

"And you think we are dealing with something similar?" Geldar asked, remembering the Claw Vipers they had encountered.

"It seems to be the case," Drognan replied. "Look for an altar in the Claw Viper temple."

With this advice in mind he went back to Fara's shop where Talina was being tended to. His suspicions had been right, there was some sort of poison that had caused Talina to bleed continuously, if he had not pulled her out of the temple then she would have died from blood loss. Deckard Cain was there talking to her and he smiled when he saw the Paladin.

Geldar sat down beside him and related what Drognan had just told him.

"He said as much to me," Cain said. "But it will not be enough to kill the Claw Vipers. To reverse their spell you must destroy the altar."

The thought of facing more of the Claw Vipers made Geldar shudder, but he didn't say anything as he and Talina had faced much worse, the Demon Queen Andariel for one. And of course there was the chance they would have to face Diablo if they found Tal Rasha's Tomb in time. Something occurred to him then.

"What exactly is Drognan?" Geldar asked Cain. "Is he some sort of seer, or something much more than that?"

"He is—or rather was—a Vizjerei mage," the Horadric Sage replied. "Jerryn was saying to me that he saw Drognan display powers he had never seen before, he was held in great renown in their order but no one knows what happened."

"Why is this?" Geldar pressed.

"No one has ever asked him," Cain explained. "And Drognan does not choose to tell."

It wasn't long after they were back in the temple and fighting their way down to the second level. A few times they stopped to rest and replenish their energy, but they all saw the need for pressing on.

Just as they were walking up stairs to get to the antechamber that led to the third level Geldar caught Norleche looking strangely at him. He ignored it, it was probably nothing.

"Can you sense anything?" he asked Talina.

"Whatever is down there it's masked by a dark presence," Talina answered. "But I'd say there would be at least five down there, and that doesn't include the ringleader."

"My thoughts exactly," Norleche agreed, still staring through Geldar.

"So we go down together?" Geldar asked.

"I'll go first," the Necromancer volunteered. "Whatever meets us as the end of the stair I can knock back with a curse."

"Well, here goes nothing," Geldar said, and he couldn't help but feeling a little apprehensive for some unknown reason.

The dark was almost a solid thing that invade Geldar's lungs and tried to penetrate his mind as he descended the stairs. Norleche was out of the doorway in a matter of seconds and he hit a Claw Viper with Amplify Damage, Geldar slashed at the creature until it was reduced to a writhing screaming mass.

"Stay here!" Geldar barked when he saw Talina was about to advance. "Let them come to us."

It didn't take long, a split-second later three Claw Vipers appeared and leading them was another, but its skin was red in colour and it moved with greater speed than the others.

Geldar silently swore and raised his shield as the red Claw Viper attacked, he heard its rakish claws scratch the metal and he threw his left arm forward, knocking the beast back. There was an explosion as Norleche sent off the only corpse in the room and a trail of green vapour as Talina launched a Plague Javelin but these were not important, they weakened the enemy but he still needed to focus his attack.

Geldar sought his battle mind, the impenetrable centre that he had sought after with years of training and meditation, here was a place in his mind he could access to unleash his hidden reserves. And unleash them he did, he had a sudden burst of speed smashing the face of the Claw Viper once, twice, three times, each swing building up speed and momentum that only added to his attack. One, two, three, four, five, six deadly slashes with his sword brought the beast to the ground. He was about to deliver the death blow when another Claw Viper intervened, placing itself in the path of Geldar's attack.

While Geldar finished off the minion, his adversary retreated to the altar.

Jerryn was woken from his sleep by bloodcurdling screams and loud shouts coming from the Harems. Through he was used to such sounds, he threw on a robe and raced down the stairs of the tower.

He was met on the main level Drognan stopped him.

"I cannot let you past," the old sorcerer said in a gentle but firm voice. "The threat has escalated; my power can no longer hold it at bay."

"Does it have the means to escape the palace," Jerryn asked, Drognan nodded. "We've run out of time, as soon as you see our adventurers tell them that I wish to see them."

"As you will, milord," Drognan said as Griez's men gathered formed a barrier to contain the emerging evil.

Back in the Claw Viper Temple the situation was heating up fast, Norleche and Talina were busy engaging the last two minions while Geldar was on the other side of the room in a knee-deep pit where an unholy altar stood. The problem with here was the fact that the chamber was circular, after a fruitless chase around the perimeter Geldar stood at the exit, barring its passage.

Then it attacked, Geldar beared the attack on his shield while at the same time swing it around to face the full point of his sword. He forced the point of his sword forward against the creatures throat, it pressed against the wall and Geldar pinned it there with his shield. The hold took nearly all his strength as the monster was struggling to get three, but it would buy him time to finish it off.

Geldar attacked with such a fury of movement that his sword was all but a blur; it hacked away at the Claw Viper's face, cut off pieces of flesh from its torso. It struggled harder, shrieking in pain but he continued, willing the vermin to die.

Then his shield gave out, with a swipe of its claws the creature cut through the metal with hardly any effort, another slash tore off his left gauntlet and drew blood.

With his injured hand behind his back, Geldar faced the Claw Viper in a classic defensive position. They circled, Geldar swerving to avoid the rakish claws, but in one instance he wasn't fast enough, part of his armour was slashed leaving a large gash in his right side.

Whispered amongst the Paladins was the story of a man named Terrell who had managed to survive a duel with a black knight with only his sword. The knight was fully armed and Terrell had apparently launched himself onto his enemy and cut of his head, it ended with him standing on the body of his now dead opponent.

Despite warnings from the Zakarum masters, Geldar and Lemnar had practised it on each other. He had managed to master it, but where he was now was very, _very_ different from the practice halls in the Temple of Light. But it was all he could do.

Holding his sword in the classic position of a salute, Geldar ran toward the Claw Viper. He sought to dismiss all thoughts from his mind, summoning within him the most powerful conviction he could muster: the possibility that this might be his last fight, that in order to bring light to Sanctuary he must sacrifice his own life.

He came down heavily on the Claw Viper, standing on its shoulders and forcing it to the ground As he swang his sword he saw the beast smile, smile as it grabbed his shoulder and bit him on the neck. Then, with his blood on its lips its head was severed from its neck, rolling on the floor in a trail of blood.

Geldar saw none of this; he was on his knees screaming as the blood spurted freely from his throat in a warm red waterfall. He felt someone's hands on his shoulders and was vaguely conscious of someone shout at him, but there was too much pain, too much noise for him to focus properly. He collapsed on the ground and closed his eyes.

"NO!" Talina screamed, she had her cloak pressed around Geldar's neck, but she could see the large red spot darken and grow, even under her applied pressure. "Wake up!" She slapped his face, frantically trying to revive him. "You can't go, not now, remember your squire. You need to find him."

"Sinclair…you…find," Geldar said in an eerily hushed voice. "Promise…"

"No, don't say things like that," Talina shrieked in a voice that bordered on hysterical. "Norleche, what are you doing? GET OVER HERE!"

The Necromancer knelt close to Geldar but he offered no comment, he shook his head grimly. He knew the Paladin was past help, past cure, there was nothing they could do.

Talina was helpless as Geldar's lifeblood soaked into her cloak, tears ran down her face mingling with the grime and dried blood. Geldar closed his eyes once more, she pleaded with him to stay with her, that she couldn't be left without him but it was too late.

Geldar was already dead.


	31. Chapter XXVIII

**Chapter XXVIII**

Without so much of a feeling of dizziness, Geldar got to his feet and took a few cautionary steps. It didn't make sense, he had felt the searing pain of the creatures fangs, felt the life fading from his body as his life-blood drained from the wound. But here he was, without a scratch and no pain and no wound.

"Geldar!" Talina screamed, the Paladin looked around and noticed she was on her knees, bent over something.

"I'm over here," he said, when she didn't move he repeated his call louder. "I know she heard me," he said indignantly and walked over next to her. "Look at me, I'm here," he said and put out his hand to touch her back, then gaped in horror as his hand went straight through her.

What was this? Perhaps he was knocked out and it was all a delusion. It had to be a dream, it _had_ to be! For if it wasn't, if he was…he couldn't bring himself to comprehend the word, somehow doing that made it seem real.

"It is real," said a deep voice behind him, Geldar turned and recoiled again when he recognised who it was. The man who had taught him from the age of ten how to use the sword and the power of the Light to combat Evil. The man who had said goodbye to him before he set out for the West with a saddened expression in his eyes as if they would not meet again in this life. The Paladin who had been as close to a father as he ever had, Pentheus.

"What are you doing here?" Geldar asked him. "Unless you were sent by the Zakarum somewhere…"

"I wasn't," Pentheus replied, "I was betrayed."

"Betrayed?" Geldar was floored. "By whom?"

"It matters not," Pentheus said, "death is kinder than the fate that others have. But I'm not going to talk about that now," he added quickly. "I know you seek your nephew, but know that your real cause is far deeper."

"But I've failed," Geldar lamented, "I wasn't able to save my own life, now that fiend can do what he will with Sinclair and I cannot stop him."

In answer Pentheus pointed to Geldar's body lying on the ground, Norleche was bending over it muttering a few incoherent words. The Necromancer's hands were streaked red and black, but he seemed to be aware of Geldar's presence.

"Fate has brought you aid," Pentheus said, "you have been given a second chance. Take it, there won't be another."

"I don't understand," Geldar said.

"You don't need to," Pentheus reassured. "But time is short, we will meet again."

"But what about Lemnar?" Geldar asked as he stepped next to his body. "He is with you, isn't he? At least tell me that."

"You know I could never lie to you," Pentheus said, he seemed to grow in height as the room grew dark. "Walk in light, my son."

"But tell me…" Geldar pleaded to Pentheus' fading form, but the words died in his mouth.

The room was sinking, fading to blackness in his eyes. He tired to fight it, but there seemed to be nothing else to do than to give in to its embrace.

"You let him die!" Talina screamed but Norleche ignored her, he bared his left arm and slashed across the flesh with a dagger, daubing the blood on his fingers.

He placed it among the ashes and green powder on Geldar's throat, then he removed the Paladin's mail shirt.

"What are you doing?" Talina asked. "Don't even touch him!"

"I'm bringing him back," Norleche said in a cool controlled voice. "There was nothing you or I or anyone could do to stop him from dying, but everything that dies a violent death has a small amount of energy preserved within. As a Priest of Rathma I can access this energy, I normally use it to explode corpses but now I can use it to resurrect him."

"Will it work?" Talina asked. "Of will it simply make him akin to Hellspawn?"

Norleche didn't answer, he placed a hand in Geldar's chest and struck it three times uttering an incantation. Then he poured a liquid through Geldar's parted lips, as he did this the flesh around the mortal wound started to bubble like a piece of meat on stove, the room started to fill with the smell of cooked meat as Talina anxiously watched the Necromancer, her heart in her mouth.

Finally Norleche turned Geldar on his side, thumping him on the back. The Paladin started to move, his legs kicked and his head moved from side to side. Geldar then gave a single and terrible cry before taking a deep breath.

Norleche rolled him back on his back quickly and reach for a skull-shaped flask on his belt. As Geldar's eyelids fluttered open he pressed the spout into his mouth.

"Drink this," he said. "The passage from the mouth to your stomach needs to be cleared."

Geldar obeyed, the liquid was hot and bitter and left an awful taste in his mouth. But the room was slowly coming into focus, the pain from his injuries, the hardness of the ground beneath him, the sight of Norleche bending over him and cleaning a wound on his neck. His neck…

It all came flashing back then, his battle with the Claw Viper, the wound he had given him then collapsing on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Talina's face over him, pleading with him to stay alive…

"Geldar," Talina loomed over him again and brought him back to the present, when she saw him register his presence she smiled. "We thought you lost you for good there."

"You…almost did," Geldar managed to choke out.

"No talking," Norleche reprimanded gently. "Your larynx still needs work, you need to rest."

"Shouldn't we get him back?" Talina asked.

"He needs rest," the Necromancer repeated. "Resurrection takes surprising reserves of energy out of a person, we can't move him just yet."

Satisfied that he was really _was_ in the land of the living, Geldar closed his eyes gratefully.

When he came to he was lying in a bed with bandages over his wounds, in whispered tones he heard two people talking. Talina was sleeping in a chair next to the bed, a bandage on her arm and a gash on her cheek.

Geldar tried to move, but he found it nigh impossible. Instead he stared at the ceiling until someone approached him.

"Awake?" Fara asked, just her presence seemed to give him strength.

"Mmm," Geldar said, not finding the strength to say anything else.

"You're in surprising good shape despite the wound on your neck," she said, she then looked away at an approaching figure. "Don't stay long," she warned whoever it was and she left.

Norleche sat in a chair on the other side of Geldar, his eyes glazed over the bandage around Geldar's throat but he said nothing.

"I suppose I should thankyou," the Paladin said, he could hear Talina starting to stir.

"Don't mention it," Norleche replied. "I saw what you did, that required phenomenal concentration, but by the time I reached you it was too late."

"And I'm still here," Geldar said.

"Yes," Norleche said. "Clearly you were not fated to die on this day, or I never could have brought you back."

"I thought that your people wouldn't believe in such a thing as fate," Geldar mused, he gently moved his legs under the covers.

"It's no only true but immutable," Norleche replied.

"He knew this was going to happen," Talina said, stretching carefully. "That was why he was looking daggers at you before you went into that room," she turned to Norleche. "I suppose I owe you an apology."

"You are only responding to what you have been taught," Norleche said. "You accepted me as an equal some time ago. For you to judge me on my deeds was enough to begin to trust you."

"Begin?" Talina asked, an insult on the tip of her tongue.

"No one should ever place their trust in anyone lightly," Norleche explained. "But now this has happened, I can see there is no going back."

Geldar smiled and closed his eyes as he listened to Talina and Norleche's banter. Was this what Fate had intended for the world by way of the Sin War, to get all mortals to stand together and forget their differences? It was somewhat a stretch but he gave it some thought before he drifted off to sleep.

"Did you find anything in the temple?" Cain asked.

Talina sat next to Deckard Cain outside the Desert Rain; Norleche was inside sitting with Geldar. It had been several days since their return from the Valley of the Snakes and the Necromancer had promised that Geldar would be able to return to the field by the end of the week.

That was almost too long for Talina, she itched for action but his sake she waited.

"There was this," Talina said, taking from her pocket a gold and emerald amulet. "I'm not sure what it is, it might not be what we were looking for after all."

She handed it to Cain, he examined it closely.

"You certainly have a talent for finding rare and valuable artefacts," Cain said with a smile. "This is the Viper Amulet, a headpiece for a Horadric Staff."

"So this is it?" Talina said. "This is going to lead us to Tal Rasha's Tomb?"

"No," Cain corrected. "This is used to open the Tomb when you find it."

"Oh," Talina said blankly. "Then we're no further along, are we?"

"Perhaps," Cain agreed reluctantly. "But I've been speaking with Lord Jerryn, and I sense he is becoming even more and more agitated by something."

"He's been jumpy ever since we've arrived," Talina pointed out.

"Nevertheless, you should try talking to him again," Cain suggested. "If he still won't take you into his confidence, seek to prove yourself a little more. I gather that his respect for you is growing."

"It takes a lot to earn it though," Talina replied tersely, she stood up. "So I use the Horadric Cube?"

"The Horadric Cube will unite the shaft with the head piece," Cain told her.

Talina went inside the inn, within a few minutes she emerged with the Horadric Cube, the Viper Amulet and the Staff of Kings. She unfolded the cube until it was large enough to place them all inside them arranged the amulet and the staff. Then she folded it up and pressed the transmute button.

Golden light surrounded the cube and then it folded open, inside lay a magical staff almost as tall as she was, the handle was gold and the headpiece had an electrum insignia with three flawless emeralds.

"Excellent! You now have a Horadric Staff," Cain said in a satisfied tone. "Carry it with you into Tal Rasha's Tomb. Find within the Tomb the chamber whose floor is inset with the Circle of Seven Symbols."

"What's that?" Talina asked.

"It's a series of symbols before a wall where the Horadrim cast the spells to contain Tal Rasha," Cain explained. "Place the Staff into the receptacle you find there. That will open a passage to Tal Rasha's Burial Chamber. But, be prepared for a fight—you'll likely have to kill Tal Rasha to destroy Baal."

They then heard the sound of people shouting, and many of the city's inhabitants started to walk towards the gates.

"What's going on?" Talina asked.

"I heard that a caravan was expected sometime today," Cain said lightly. "I gather that it has arrived."


	32. Chapter XXIX

**Chapter XXIX**

It was a caravan all right, there were two merchants and their staff that had a large wagon and several pack animals. But that wasn't what caught Talina's eye as she rounded the corner near the city gate. On an almost massive horse and wearing a giant sword on his belt was a man almost too large to be life like. Every inch of him spoke brawn, his arms, his torso, the way he walked.

His chest was almost bare save for a large ringed belt he had strapped to his shoulder that secured shoulder guards, and his head was almost devoid of hair except for a long wisp at the back and side of his head that draped several beads and animal teeth. His face was tattooed blue that went from the back of his head, over one eye and finished at his throat.

Something in his voice hinted at the frozen, rugged lands of the north, where the weather was harsh and only one group of people were not only known to survive, but thrive in it. They were called the Barbarians. And this man—if man at all he be—was from those lands. And his name was Barak.

"Hello there," he said when he noticed Talina, he handed her a bundle. "Would you mind holding that?"

"Hold it yourself," Talina snapped taking a step back.

"I beg your pardon?" Barak asked.

"I said hold it yourself," Talina barked, and made as if to walk off but Barak held her wrist in the vice that was one of his hands.

"I don't know where you learned manners, little lady—" Barak said.

But that was as far as he got, in the blink of an eye Talina had him in a headlock and her dagger was at his throat.

"Call me that again," she said softly, "and it'll be the last thing you ever say."

After a moment Talina released him and he eyed her somewhat suspiciously, but there was loosely veiled respect behind his glance.

"My mistake," he said and he offered his hand. "My name is Barak, I'm of the Shadow Wolf Tribe from the steppes of the northlands."

"I am Talina, Amazon warrior," she answered with a thin smile. "What brings you here to these parts? I've heard your kin do not often wander from your tribal lands."

"That much is true," Barak conceded as they headed towards the Desert Rain Inn. "But I seek the ultimate Evil; I suppose you know something of it."

"That I do," Talina answered. "My comrades and I are on the tail of the Dark Wanderer. We followed him west from Khanduras and now we're stuck here due to the fact the port is closed."

"Did you come after Andariel overtook the rogues' monastery?" Barak asked.

"Paladin Geldar and I slew Andariel," Talina said proudly.

"I am impressed," Barak said. "So who else is with you aside from the Paladin?"

"A Necromancer, Norleche," Talina said, they stopped suddenly.

"I see," Barak said slowly. "Strange times these are when we associate with those who follow the unorthodox path."

"You're just as bad as Geldar is," Talina complained. "I have had doubts about Norleche before, but you haven't met him and he saved Geldar's life. Well, kind of saved his life."

"What do you mean?" Barak asked.

"It's hard to explain," Talina said quickly. "You'll have to ask him."

She said not another word until they were at the inn.

Geldar was sitting outside with Norleche and Deckard Cain when they arrived. Geldar smiled when he saw her, he still looked rather pale but he was able to get up and greet her.

"What are you doing up?" Talina admonished. "You're supposed to be resting."

"Well when I heard that there is still work to be done I made myself well," Geldar replied and he examined Barak for the first time. "I don't think I've had the pleasure…"

Talina made the necessary introductions while the Barbarians possessions were put inside, Cain and Norleche regarded the Barbarian with some interest. Particularly his news from the West.

"The Rogue Pass is still open," Barak told them. "I was at the monastery first but I was told I was too late to help," he shrugged and smiled resignedly. "Then I just waited for a caravan to arrive, and here I am. It took a while though; most trade with the East now is done by sea through Kingsport. It seems they don't want to risk it over land."

"And with the embargo we're stuck here," Talina concluded mournfully.

"So you're willing to help us?" Geldar asked the Barbarian. "We all have our own separate quests that bring us here. I'm searching for my squire and nephew Sinclair who was kidnapped back in Duncraig."

"I'm here at the request of my people to bring Deckard Cain to aid in the coming crisis," Talina added.

"And I," Norleche said. "Like you I am certain to bring a sort of balance in this world that the Three have made awry."

"I thought I'd have to go alone," Barak said. "But as a group it will be much better. So what have you done?"

It didn't take long for them to outline their exploits, Geldar tried to tell the main narrative but Norleche and Talina kept butting in with things he left out. When it was over Barak was impressed all over again.

"The main problem is now," Geldar concluded, "is how to get to Tal Rasha's Tomb. No one knows where it is as the Horadrim hid it so well and most just discount it as a myth. We have the means of getting in, but it won't help us if we don't find it."

"It's like putting the cart before the horse," Barak agreed.

"Didn't Drognan say he might have found something?" Talina asked.

"I think so," Norleche replied. "We'll have to go and ask him."

"I've been searching through the old records, trying to find the location of Tal Rasha's Tomb. Though I haven't found the Tomb itself, I may have a good lead for you," Drognan said when the introductions had been made, "The great Vizjerei Summoner Horazon, built his Arcane Sanctuary somewhere around here. He was a powerful spellcaster and kept demons as slaves within the Sanctuary."

"What does this have to do with us?" Talina asked.

"I'm getting to that," Drognan said quickly. "Horazon kept a close eye on great events too—such as the imprisonment of Baal within Tal Rasha's Tomb. If you could find Horazon's Sanctuary, I'm sure it would hold some clue as to the Tomb's location. Though I doubt Horazon is still alive, you must proceed with caution. There's no telling what could be waiting inside. When I spoke of this with Lord Jerryn, he asked that I send you to him. perhaps he knows of a secret entrance or the like."

"Who is this Horazon?" Geldar asked. "I think I've heard something like this before."

"Nearly a thousand years ago, Horazon rose to the fore of the Vizjerei mage clan," Drognan explained. "Horazon used the knowledge of the Vizjerei to summon and control demons from hell.

Though a powerful Summoner, Horazon feared that the Lords of Hell would punish him for enslaving their brethren. Thus, the Summoner created for himself an Arcane Sanctuary. He believed that his Sanctuary would protect not only protect him from Hell's vengeance, but also allow him to continue his studies free from the ravages of time and disease. Horazon had created many wonderful scrying devices through which he observed the events of the world outside. It is certain that he took careful study of Tal Rasha's imprisonment and recorded the location of his forgotten tomb."

"And the Arcane Sanctuary?" Norleche asked. "You said it could be here, under our very noses?"

"The Arcane Sanctuary was believed to have been constructed here in Lut Gholein," Drognan replied. "An entrance may be hidden somewhere in the palace, as that building is very old, and was once a Vizjerei fortress."

"That's very interesting," Talina said when they were walking towards the palace later on.

"Interesting, it's the closest lead we have," Geldar retorted.

"I don't like the sounds of that," Barak said. "An Arcane Sanctuary, a place like that must reek with evil."

"Well it'll be nothing new compared with what we've faced," Norleche pointed out. "Wait until you face one of those tomb guardians, Barak, or even better a blunderbore. I expect though," he added rather darkly as he was fond of speaking. "That it'll be packed with undead."

"Is there anything not like that?" Talina asked as Jerryn approached them, looking rather panicked. Cain was right, he did look more agitated.

"I have heard of your heroic deeds," he said in a rather awed voice. "And now I would like to tell you something that I've been hesitant to speak of." He took a deep breath and continued. "When the troubles began here, I allowed the terrified Harem guilds to join me within the safety of the palace. All was fine, until one night…" he closed his eyes as if to ward off unpleasant memories, but continued. "Screams echoed up the stairwells from the harem. My guards arrived to find the poor girls being slaughtered by a merciless band of hell-spawned demons. My brave guardsmen tried to push the demons through the mysterious rift from which they came. Ever since my men have been fighting a losing battle, Demons have continued to pour through the rift in the palace. Ultimately, I hired Griez and his mercenaries to protect the rest of my fair city. Drognan believes that the Arcane Sanctuary lies buried underneath this palace as Lut Gholein occupies the site of an ancient Vizjerei fortress. My palace is open to you right now, take care."

"Wait one moment," Geldar said, he looked at Jerryn carefully. "There's something you're not telling, I'm sure of it."

"Don't interrogate him, Geldar," Talina warned.

"No, she is right," Jerryn said. "I should have told you earlier, Paladin. I know of that dark cloaked rider of which you speak."

"So he did come through here after all?" Geldar asked. "Did one of your guards, or Drognan see him?"

"I saw him myself," Jerryn asked. "As well as your nephew."

"What?" Geldar flashed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want this to get out," Jerryn replied. "There was already had one dark menace coming into my city, it wouldn't do to have another rumour like that going around."

"I do not have a loose tongue," Geldar snapped.

"You seem very capable, but no offence is intended when I say that I must choose my confidants carefully," Jerryn relented. "I wouldn't do to have rumours to send everyone into panic."

"Fine," Geldar closed his eyes and composed himself. "How was he?"

"Very quiet," Jerryn answered. "I managed to get him away from that accursed mage and give him a good dinner and a warm bed, under guard as well. But the very next night after they arrived was the attack and during the disturbance they escaped," he looked rather longingly at Geldar. "You'll have to excuse me for not telling you earlier, with all that has happened trust was something I wasn't going to give so freely."

"They would have gone south," Geldar said softly, not really listening. "They would have got a ship and kept heading east, why didn't I just keep going?"

"Geldar," Talina said in a harsh voice that brought him back to reality. "You're not going to run out on us are you? Not now?"

"Well it's not like I have a choice," Geldar said reluctantly.

"I vote we have a bite to eat, then gear up and get down there," Norleche suggested.

"I'm all for that," Barak agreed.


	33. Chapter XXX

**Chapter XXX**

"I very much doubt that Horazon still lives in his Arcane Sanctuary," Cain said when they were at their table at the Jewel. "He possessed great power and influence over demons, but even that may have not been enough in the end. One of his notoriety cannot easily remove himself from the vengeful reaches of Hell."

"But Drognan did say that Horazon was able to prolong his life," Talina insisted. "Perhaps there is the possibility…"

"I don't think so," Norleche disagreed. "There are of course certain spells and elixirs to extend one's life indefinitely, but demonic magic corrupts the flesh as well as the soul. He would not be still alive."

Talina and Norleche continued to banter on this point for several minutes with Barak adding things at intervals. Geldar, Cain noticed, didn't say anything.

"What's wrong, son?" the Horadric Sage asked.

"Sinclair was here," the Paladin said quietly. "He was _here_," he raised his voice and thumped his fist on the table. "And he didn't tell me!"

"Lord Jerryn must have reasons—" Cain said but Geldar refused to listen.

"He said he did not want to spread unrest," he snapped. "As if he couldn't trust me to keep it to myself."

"Lord Jerryn has had his share of untrustworthy people seeking boons from him if you have listened to his story as I have from Drognan," Cain said patiently.

There was a silence between them, Barak, Talina and Norleche continued to talk.

"My main purpose has been to find Sinclair and slay that fiend who took him and I have lost sight of that recently," Geldar said slowly. "Lost sight of it in the wake of some adventure that was not of my choosing."

"Fate is never of our choosing," Cain reminded him. "Neither its ends of its means are up us to decide; and in my experience what you intend to set out for is not the same as what you gain in the end."

"So you still think it's going to change?" Geldar asked him, looking up from his untouched plate. "I know you were saying to Talina not to put all her hopes on seeing her home islands again, you're saying that there is a change for me as well?"

"Perhaps," Cain said darkly. "Two of you are already on the path for the destruction of the Three, I have the feeling there will be more."

Geldar didn't answer. There were other things he wanted to say, questions about what had been revealed to him by Pentheus. But he still hadn't considered them himself yet, he had pushed them to the back of his mind with Jerryn's news taking prominence.

"An 'Arcane Sanctuary' under the palace?" Elzix almost burst out laughing. "I heard there were some underground cellars levels that Jerryn uses as chambers for his treasure and such, but no Arcane Sanctuary."

"Well, we'll have to do our best then," Norleche said as Talina came out clad in her armour. "I'll let you know if we _do_ find anything."

"You do that," Elzix said. "And if anyone comes while you're gone with some crazy story, I'll know who to send them to."

"You would think," Talina fumed as they walked towards the palace, "that people would have more respect now for so-called myths and legends of old."

"Well it does take a lot of shake your beliefs from fiction to fact," Geldar explained. "And I seem to remember a time that you dismissed anything intangible as hogwash and nonsense."

"Watch yourself," Talina warned stalking ahead.

"Is always like this?" Barak asked Geldar.

"Yes," Geldar and Norleche answered together.

But other than that outburst Geldar was oddly quiet as they entered the palace. Talina went ahead to get an impression of what they were up against while the rest of them waited on the landing.

"So what are tomb guardians?" Barak asked Norleche.

"They're Horadric mummies that lead skeletons and other undead," Norleche told him. "They exhale poisonous gas and can raise their dead minions. But I don't think we'll be facing any here."

"What makes you think that?" Barak asked.

"This isn't a tomb," Norleche explained as if it were obvious. "Yet that doesn't mean it's going to be easy."

"Can't be worse than what I already faced on the way here," Barak said smugly.

"There's plenty of undead," Talina said as she walked back. "Mostly skeletons but I saw a few wraiths."

"Wraiths?" Barak asked.

"Skeleton ghosts," Norleche said. "They travel in groups and can drain your mana."

"Nothing I can't handle," Barak retorted, and they followed Talina towards the stairs.

"That's an impressive piece of work," Geldar said, gesturing to the axe.

"You should really hear it sing," Barak replied.

Geldar then realised that Barak held a sword in his other hand; he could attack with two weapons? Now _that_ was impressive, but he didn't say anything.

"Any particular strategy?" Norleche asked as a horde of skeletons advanced towards them.

"Just don't get too far away from the group," Talina suggested.

"Says you," Geldar shot back, remembering the last time Talina went off by herself.

Talina didn't answer, there wasn't time to, they were upon them.

"Barak, with me," Geldar called to the Barbarian, he stepped to the front of the group and summoned Thorns. The Barbarian followed him, but was a safe distance away before he began his attack.

Geldar charged at a group of skeletons with his shield in front, stunning a few and smashing to pieces another. The rest he finished off his the flat of his sword. To his left Barak gave an unearthly yell causing Geldar to look his way and almost get his face slashed by another skeleton. He reacted in time, and stepped over to slay a skeleton archer behind Barak.

"Thanks," Barak said.

"What was that?" Geldar asked breathlessly, they were fighting side by side now, Barak's axe hewing through the undead with ease and precision.

"It's a war cry," the Barbarian said. "Scares enemies away."

Give me some warning next time, could you?" Geldar teased, as the last enemy in the room was felled by a lighting bolt.

"Is that it?" Talina asked, stepping forward to retrieve her pilum.

"For this room, yes," Norleche said, he frowned as he looked around. "This is worse than the tombs.'

It didn't take Geldar long to see why Norleche said that as they hewed their way through the three levels of the Harem, and it didn't take much longer for Geldar to agree with him. There were bodies _everywhere_, and it wasn't just the guards. Innocent, unarmed women, totally unprepared for such an attack from within.

Several times they stopped after the room was empty and covered the bodies with whatever they could find. Silk brocade curtains, now torn and stained with blood, fine linen and cotton draperies, again soiled.

Several times Geldar caught Talina looking at the bodies without talking, she looked rather sad.

"What?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes and scowling at him.

"No one is going to rebuke you for having emotion Talina," Geldar reminded her. "It's what makes us human, it's what keeps us sane."

"Save your platitudes for another time," Talina snapped, stalking off without a word.

Suddenly she turned to ice.

"Defence positions," shouted Geldar, he ran towards the frozen statue with his sword drawn. He passed it to his left hand and poured a yellow-coloured postion over the Amazon's icy form.

"Seven many-handed ones," Barak said, stepping back inside the room and positioning himself near the doorway. "There seems to be a leader."

"Fantastic," replied Norleche.

Talina was fast recovering her powers of animation; she fell to her knees shivering. Without another word Geldar almost carried her to a corner.

"Wait it out," he told her, "when you feel up to it give us a hand." He took his place with Barak near the doorway.

"Want me to call them over?" Barak asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Do what you like," Geldar replied, "just get them away from the leader."

The Paladin cringed as Barak let out a series of earth-splitting yells, one by one the marauders walked over, their eyes were glazed.

"Wait one moment," Norleche said, he muttered an incantation and flames appeared over their heads. "Now go," they didn't need to be told twice.

Geldar and Barak attacked together, the Paladin on the left and the Barbarian on the right. With the blade of his sword Geldar cut of their arms, the swords they held clattering to the floor, but there wasn't time for this. He pressed his attack, slitting its throat and kicking the corpse to the floor.

Just as he was about to attack again the body exploded beneath him, killing three others in the shockwave it emitted. Barak stepped slightly in front, spinning his axe in a wide arc and taking the remaining two around the middle. Geldar heard a few thumbs as the top half of the bodies continued the momentum but his sword was already in the chest of the last minion.

"That's it then," Geldar said to no one in particular, and putting his shield in front of his face he charged. At the last minute he saw two massive arms pushing the shield away and knocking him to the ground.

Slightly dazed, Geldar raised his sword and the creature stood over him, its eye flashing with fire. It knocked his sword away and grinned wickedly though a mass of pointed teeth. Geldar's gaze didn't falter, he may be unarmed but he was no defenceless.

Where was Barak? He was fighting several skeletons that had decided to pay them a call.

Where was Norleche? Geldar couldn't see him so he assumed he was somewhere nearby.

Just as the beasts rakish claws neared him and Geldar was ready to blast it with his raw will, it sank to the ground with a pilum in its chest.

"How many times have I saved your life, Geldar?" Talina asked mildly ad if she was inquiring about the weather.

"Who's counting?" Geldar asked, getting to his feet and picking up his sword and shield. "You could have arrived sooner though."

"Just be happy I didn't arrive later," she answered with a smile as she wiped the blood off the spear tip.

"I have already died once thank you very much," Geldar said. "I don't make a habit of it you know."

"A pity," Talina said cuttingly

"What was that thing guarding?" Barak asked quickly, sensing trouble brewing.

"Perhaps there was a way in," Geldar suggested.

"A way in to what?" Talina asked.

"I don't know, you figure it out," Geldar snapped as the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder.

They readied their weapons, but it was only Norleche. He looked pleased with himself, I it could be said of his very pale, skeletal-like face.

"I haven't found us a way _in_ yet," Norleche explained. "But there is a way _down_."


	34. Chapter XXXI

**Chapter XXXI**

The way down proved to be down to the palace cellars, and while the going there was somewhat easier on the eyes—there were no dead women down here, only guards—there didn't seem to be any less vermin. More and more they came across them in very large groups, especially the marauders and skeletons.

After cleaning up on level there was no choice to go down to the next, then the one beyond that. At the top of the steps that led down to the third level they stopped for a break.

"I had the impression that it would not be this difficult," Barak said.

"What wouldn't be this difficult?" Talina asked.

"Fighting evil," Barak said. "From the way bards talk of heroes in the epics, it seems as if their enemies simply roll over and die."

"If that happened then it would have made our lives a lot easier," Geldar replied with a smile, "especially when we faced Andariel."

"What was that like?" Barak asked.

"Facing the Maiden of Anguish?" Geldar looked at Talina quizzically. "Hard to describe wasn't it. If I had to choose a bad part it would be between her rakish claws, her poison cloud and the demonically insane look in her eyes. Clearly not the kind of girl you would take home to meet your mother."

"Quite," Talina agreed.

"If you want to know about feeling the full force of Evil you should ask Talina," Geldar continued, "she would have died if I didn't pull her out of there," Talina snorted, "though she'll deny it twenty times a day."

"And what do you expect of Baal?" Barak asked, the question was directed to the group in general.

"I'm guessing that he'll make everything we're doing here seem easy," Geldar said thoughtfully.

"Isn't he the eldest of the Three?" Talina asked.

"No, that would be Mephisto the Lord of Hatred," Norleche replied. "But I agree with Geldar, Baal is in the body of a powerful Horadric mage, I'm just not sure who we'll actually fight."

"You think that Baal could escape Tal Rasha's body?" Talina asked.

"Not likely, as he needs a mortal form to have full existence on this plane," Norleche explained. "I meant that Tal Rasha may have lost the fight with Baal and use his magic against us."

"So the Horadric magicks against our own will and might," Geldar concluded, "like two stars colliding in the heavens and shattering everything around them."

"Definitely not a good sign," Norleche agreed.

The fourth level of the palace cellars wasn't so different to the others, filled with skeletons, marauders and sand demons. Really the only good thing, Geldar pointed out, was there was no more sand maggots but no one saw the humour in that but him.

Talina scouted ahead, as was her custom; she was quite good at it and it shut her up for a few minutes, but she was back in a matter of seconds.

"Massive…group of…marauders," she said breathlessly, "they're standing around some sort of doorway."

"Doorway to where?" Geldar asked.

"From nowhere and to nowhere," Talina replied, "you know what they're like, not very intelligent."

"No, I think this is what we have been looking for," Norleche said, "remember how Drognan said there might be some sort of secret entrance to the Arcane Sanctuary? This could be it."

"I had the impression that a secret entrance would be a tunnel or something like that," Geldar said.

"Not likely," Norleche replied, "if Horazon wanted to properly protect himself from the repercussions of demonic magic he'd establish his sanctuary outside the boundaries of this world."

"You're weirding me out," Talina said with a grimace, "I say we kill them and then talk about what to do about the doorway once we get there."

"Are there any others there, Talina?" Geldar asked. "Like those awful slimy things with claws that I had to save you from?"

"Dune beasts?" asked, ignoring the jab, "yes there are a few of them, but there's quite a few skeletons, both mages and otherwise."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Barak asked, shouldering his axe and smiling at all of them. "We have what we came for, let's get moving!"

The situation was as Talina had described, and perhaps worse as her assessment of the situation was contrasted against her own skill and desire to prove herself. But the group went in as normal, Geldar and Barak at the front with Norleche and Talina taking the flank. When the path was cleared at the back of a room near a doorway they regrouped and assessed their options.

"I hate to say this but I think we should split up," Geldar suggested.

"Divide and conquer?" Barak queried.

"Something like that," Geldar agreed, "if we take them from both sides we have more of a chance of wiping them all out."

"But then again if we are separated its easier to get cut off," Talina said.

"Since when are you highlighting risks?" Geldar asked with a laugh. "You're normally the one who rushes right into a fight and doesn't even look back if the rest of us are following."

"I just say we have a good system and we should use it," Talina argued behind gritted teeth.

"I think Geldar has a point," Norleche said, "yes, our attack strategy is good but we can be _too_ dependent on it. Besides," he added, "it's really designed for open spaces like the desert or the harem, not for tight corridors like here."

"There's the doorway ploy then," Geldar said, "but that generally works only for single combat."

"Is that when you go through the door, attract their attention then kill them one by one through the doorway?" Barak asked.

"We went with that, remember? It was in the maggot lair and we almost killed each other," Norleche reminded him.

"Do what you like," Talina shouted, getting her pilum and shield and opening the door, "or if you like you can continue arguing strategy until Hell freezes over." And like that, she was gone.

"I'm going after her," Geldar said, "the last time she went on her own she was nearly killed."

"And the last time you did that you _were_ killed," Norleche reminded him.

Geldar didn't answer, the next sounds they heard were the death-cry and clash of steel against bone.

Talina and Geldar stood side-by-side vanquishing their foes, for a moment it was almost like before in Khanduras when they each had their separate quests and disassociated lives brought together by pure chance. Now things were different, not only the fact that Norleche and Barak were there but there was the increasing feeling they were being pulled together by a much larger call and intended for much greater things.

But now that was secondary.

Now there was the task at hand: mainly avoiding death.

Talina's weapon skewered the marauder, the impact of the thrust splintering the pilum and leaving nasty gashes in his flesh. But the creature was already dead and Talina was on to the next, then the one after it, then the one after that.

Slightly in front and to the side was Geldar, his shield ready for a charge against the undead but the blade of his sword making quick work with the fleshier vermin. He was lost in the moment, there was nothing but the sword in his hand and the call of battle around him. He moved with purpose, each step an addition to attack, each arm motion critical.

Attacking from the other side was Barak and Norleche, they adopted a somewhat similar strategy. But Norleche stood a bit further back, leaving the actual deaths up to the others.

And between them, behind the marauder leader, was the doorway Talina spoke of. It was a curving stone structure with a curious insignia at the top, but there wasn't time to examine it. Not yet anyway.

When the last of them had been killed the group stood among the corpses and surveyed the scene.

"What took you guys so long?" Geldar asked Barak and Norleche.

"We ran into some old friends," Norleche replied, his deadpan flawless.

They turned and surveyed the doorway.

"Definitely some sort of portal," was Norleche's view.

While Barak and Geldar discussed the various nuances Talina examined it closely, running her finger over some of the runs along the edge.

"Talina, you shouldn't—" Norleche warned, but his words were cut off when the portal crackled to life and a blue energy curtain covered the opening.

"I don't like this," Geldar said sceptically, "it could lead anywhere, to the gates of the Burning Hells for all we know."

"This is from the Horadrim," Norleche told him, "why would _they_ build a gate to Hell? Consider that?"

"I just think we shouldn't rush into this," Geldar said, "even Cain told us to be careful."

"Enough talk," Talina said, and with her pilum ready she jumped though the portal.

"Talina!" Geldar screamed and he ran through after her.

"I think there is a lot more going on between those two than they are aware of," Barak said to Norleche.

"I've long had that suspicion," Norleche said, "I'll go next." And he stepped through.

Barak was the last of all, and while he wouldn't admit it to anyone there was the slight impression of fear on his face as he stepped into the unknown.


	35. Chapter XXXII

**Chapter XXXII**

For a split second Geldar stood suspended in motion, his body in the motion of running, his mouth wide open from calling for Talina. Then he fell forward, sprawled on a narrow set of stone steps and gasping for air. Then there was the unmistakable sound of the clash of steel, followed by the whisper of approaching wraths.

"Get up, Paladin!" called Talina in an angry voice from some distance away.

Groggily, Geldar got to his feet and was almost knocked off the steps by Norleche coming through the portal. They supported each other and kept their balance.

"Quick," Norleche said, almost pushing Geldar down the stairs, "Barak's coming through."

Sure enough the large Barbarian came crashing through the portal, making quite a crowd on the narrow set of stairs.

"This is wild," Barak said with a grin.

"Can you hurry up?" Talina shouted, she was busily engaging several wraths, skeletons and who knew what else at the centre of a smooth stone ground near a circle surrounded by symbols.

Geldar turned once he was finished with his quarry and went down the stairs, but again he was almost knocked over by Barak as the Barbarian made a flying leap over his head.

"What in Akarat was that?" Geldar barked, regaining his balance and joining Talina in cleaning up the remaining wraths.

"If you want to get somewhere quickly," Barak deadpanned, "why walk when you can leap?"

"Could you two clowns knock it off?" Talina reproached.

"We do our best," Barak shot back.

Several seconds later the undead were no more than a pile of bones on the floor the group examined their surroundings with barely veiled astonishment.

"Where are we?" Talina asked no one in particular, examining the circle of symbols and raising her gaze to look out on the moving starscape around them. "It's like we're…in the middle of the night sky."

"Not really," Norleche replied dryly, "we're just in another dimension."

"_Oh_," Talina said sarcastically, "now I am perfectly reassured. Come again?"

"You know how Sanctuary is between Heaven and the Burning Hells?" Norleche asked. "How our world is a sort of intermediary influenced by the Light and Evil?" They all nodded, he continued. "It's not as simple as that, not just Heaven, Hell and Sanctuary but other realms between that aren't a part of this world but can be accessed from here."

"Like that gateway we went through?" Geldar asked.

"Exactly," Norleche said, "some exist naturally but others can be created, for good or Evil. I heard below Tristram the Lord of Terror not only created an outpost of Hell beneath the village but two gateways to other worlds. Where we are is something of the like." He gestured around him. "This is the Arcane Sanctuary, it exists here because it is the only place it can. I am sure you will find that many of the laws of our world do not apply here."

"Like what?" Talina asked. "The law of gravity?"

"I think he means the law of perspective," Geldar said, he pointed to a structure not far from where they were standing. It seemed far too impossible to be real.

"I have the feeling if I stare at it too long I'll be sick," Barak murmured.

"Then don't," Talina snapped, she studied the circle of symbols. "Is this the orifice that we stick the Horadric Staff in?"

"Do you see a tomb anywhere, Talina?" Geldar joked.

"It could be beneath our feet," Talina argued.

"Not likely," Geldar pointed, "_one_ tomb maybe, but not seven."

Talina gave him a hard stare but didn't reply.

"No, he's right," Norleche said, "Drognan and Cain said that the Arcane Sanctuary would give us the key to finding Tal Rasha's Tomb. Not the Tomb itself."

"So what _are_ we looking for then?" Talina asked in a tight voice.

"Horazon's journal," Norleche said promptly.

"Who's he?" Talina asked.

"I'll explain," Norleche said, "we just need to get going. There's four directions, pick one."

Horazon, Norleche explained as they gleaned their way through wraths, ghoul lords and blood clans, was a Vizjerei mage some one hundred years ago who with his brother Bartuc sought power through the practise of Demonic Magic. While Bartuc allied himself with the forces of Evil, Horazon chose to harness demons himself. To do this he created the Arcane Sanctuary which was neither in Sanctuary nor in Heaven or Hell so he could practise undisturbed.

"What they didn't realise," Norleche told Talina, "is that the pursuit of power is ultimately self-destructive. Power for power's sake is an empty shell, leaving you to make compromises with your very soul."

"Wait one moment," Geldar interrupted, they stopped walking. "I understand, but aren't all those learned in magic pursuing power? So you're saying this is wrong?"

"Somehow I think we've had this conversation before," Talina murmured.

"It depends on what you define as power," Norleche replied, "and for what purpose it serves. Your Zakarum teachings, what do they say about the gaining of knowledge of the unknown?"

"That while the grace of Akarat gifts us with paranormal abilities," Geldar said promptly, "we foremost are servants of the Light."

"Very similar to the code of my tribe," Barak agreed.

"I think I understand," Talina said. "The good use power to serve others, Evil would rather _dominate_ others."

"That is correct, but is very simplistic," Norleche replied, "but it's never cut and dry as you make it."

"What happened to Horazon, by the way?" Talina asked.

"No one knows," Norleche said, "Bartuc was killed but it was commonly believed that Horazon remained here. Yet it tore apart the Vizjerei and when the bloodshed was finished they finally realised they had been played for fools all along."

"Cain said that it was very unlikely Horazon would still be here," Geldar reminded her, then added for good measure, "but we still have to be careful."

"I am careful," Talina snapped, stalking off.

There was a murmur of surprise, but nothing was said.

In a way, the sanctuary reminded Geldar of the test he had to face before he was made a full Paladin several years ago. It was the same test his brother had faced, as well as all Paladins before them.

The Temple of the Zakarum in Kurast was built on a vast labyrinthine of tunnels that ran under most of the old city. Only those who cleaned the sewers for a living—and there were very few of them—could navigate successfully.

When he was nineteen Geldar had been led into the tunnels blindfolded and naked but for his sword and a pouch containing a flint stone and a protective amulet. He had managed to survive and escape, but some didn't.

But the sewers of Kurast had nothing viler than the huge serpents that dwelled in the pools of much as well as the white skeletal spiders that were attracted to light. Not like here where red goatmen would rush at them in bloodlust, or blood lords that threw balls of fire from afar and drained the life out of you. And not to mentions the skeleton ghosts, flying out of the depths of blackness at the most unexpected moments.

Yet despite the rather pleasing aesthetics of the architecture, the Sanctuary was not a pleasant place. There were hidden traps in the floor that shot up spikes as well as tall spindles that shot out bolts of lightning. There was also the confusing code of the teleportal gateways that formed an impossible maze that benefited no one save Barak who simply leapt from platform to platform.

Finally, when three of the four paths in the Sanctuary had been 'cleansed' as Geldar said, they turned to the last.

"How long have we been done here?" Talina asked as they walked along a narrow ledge towards another set or arches.

"I have no idea," Geldar replied, unconsciously touching the scar over his throat, "there's no sun so I can't tell."

"I don't think time has any relevance here," Norleche said darkly.

"Wait!" Talina stopped in her paces and closed her eyes, moving her javelin from side to side. Her eyes snapped open. "Can you sense it?"

Norleche's eyes glassed over. "Yes," he said finally, "corruption, like in the Claw Viper Temple, but this is somewhat…" his voice trailed off and a strange expression crossed his face.

"Mortal?" Talina suggested mysteriously. "Something good gone to seed?"

"It's hard to tell," Norleche admitted.

"This can't be Horazon," Geldar said, "it's nigh impossible. But that needn't diminish the threat."

A fireball fell next to them coupled with an evil cackle. Talina smiled forcibly.

"Well," she concluded doubtfully, "I think we have found our answer."


	36. Chapter XXXIII

**Chapter XXXIII**

At the top of a flight of stairs and in the middle of a circle of symbols stood a sorcerer wearing an elaborate blue robe. He had a shock of black hair, unkempt and melding into a greyish beard that completely covered his neck. In one hand he held a staff topped with a sigil of intertwined snakes, a symbol that Geldar immediately recognised.

"He's a Vizjerei!" the Paladin shouted moments before taking cover behind his shield to evade another rain of fire.

"Ahhh!" Talina screamed and jumped back as a wall of flames came rushing at them. yet it was Barak who managed to placate to rogue mage, leaping at him with such ferocity and delivering a blow with his sword that knocked him to the ground.

"You are unworthy!" the sorcerer roared savagely, springing to his feet and knocking the Barbarian back with his staff, a blow that left a burning brand on his armour.

Yet this was all the time Geldar needed to run at the sorcerer with his shield, once his opponent was stunned he slashed with his sword. Yet the weapon went wide as the mage dodged it and missed completely.

A greenish cloud that suddenly grew from a thrown javelin indicated that Talina had used her poison ability, and red flames above the rogue sorcerers head meant that Norleche was tapping away at his life-force.

Geldar and Barak attacked together, the Paladin on the left and the Barbarian on the right. They boxed the mage in with an impenetrable barrier made by their defending arms. The mage started to protest, but the blows came thick and fast until finally the sorcerer collapsed to the ground, covered in blood. His body then burst into flames and was consumed until nothing was left but a charred skeleton.

"It happens," Norleche told them all, "mages don't want their bodies reanimated, this prevents resurrection."

"But aren't there other ways?" Talina asked.

"Yes, but they are far more difficult," Norleche replied, he kicked the corpse with his foot and it dissolved into dust. "See what I mean?"

Talina examined the symbols and counted them, she looked up glumly. "There are only six," she said wryly. "Which one is the real one?"

"None of them, I don't think," Geldar said, he walked up to a stone lectern where a blue-covered book lay closed. "I think this is what we are looking for." He opened the book, the pages were covered with faded but still visible writing. Geldar carefully turned, as if searching for something.

"What does it say?" Talina asked, peering over his shoulder. "You're the one who's lettered."

"I don't know," Geldar confessed, "the character is somewhat familiar to me, but I can't read it." He picked up the book and turned the volume over in his hands. "We'll have to ask Drognan."

The old sorcerer was very quiet as he pored over the pages of the tome. There were several pages he paid particular attention to, and on a scrap of velum he made a few calculations with a stick of charcoal.

"Well?" Talina asked as patiently as she could, which wasn't very patient.

"It's a Sarian script," Drognan replied mildly, "not very well known and commonly used by magi who wish to hide their works," he looked at Geldar, "even the Zakarum are wont to use it, but only those high up in the order."

Geldar smiled and nodded as the wizard kept on reading and taking notes.

"So about the symbols…" Norleche began.

"They're disguised in here," Drognan said without looking up, "otherwise anyone would be able to read them. I need as few hours to transcribe this text."

"Do you think we should tell Deckard Cain about this?" Talina asked Geldar as they walked away, twilight was approaching and the shadows loomed longer.

"By all means," Geldar replied as they approached the inn, Cain said in his usual place on the bench outside. He looked rather said but brightened when he saw the group approach.

"Why do I smell evil magic about you?" the Horadric sage said with a dry chuckle.

"We just had a fight with a rogue sorcerer," Geldar answered. "I think he was a Vizjerei."

"Describe him," Cain requested, Geldar did so with a bit of help from the others. "Hmm," he looked rather thoughtful. "That Summoner sounds like someone I met back in Tristram." Shame that his visage was so twisted by Evil," he concluded.

"I wonder why Jerryn didn't tell us about this," Geldar asked.

"I've noticed that the Lord Jerryn doesn't reveal anything until the last minute," Talina said cuttingly.

"Have heart, Talina," Norleche chided, "he has his reasons for keeping his secrets. He has said that much."

"I hope that this false Summoner found peace in death," Cain said, sensing a storm. "Unfortunately, it is more likely he will be dragged down to Hell by the demons he was bound to. Let this be a lesson to all of you," he said solemnly, waving an accusatory finger. "Demonic magic is a quick path, but its powers are seductive and deadly."

"Well, we did find Horazon's journal," Talina said triumphantly, "Drognan is translating the passage we need so we can go and find the Tomb."

"Something just occurred to me," Norleche said quickly. "Is Drognan a Vizjerei?"

"What makes you think that?" Geldar asked him.

"Just a feeling, a conclusion to some thoughts I've had," the Necromancer replied.

"The question we should be asking," Cain reminded them all, "that if Drognan was once a Vizjerei why is he not one now?"

"Well it depends if no longer considers himself one or…" Geldar's voice trailed off.

"Or he was expelled from the order," Norleche finished, "yes, that occurred to me as well and I have the impression that he left. But as for the reason well…I wouldn't like to ask him."

"Why not?" Talina challenged. "It would be a simple enough question."

"_Why_ is never a simple question, Talina," Cain told her calmly, "it is often the hardest question of all to answer. Such as," he looked at Talina more directly, "I have often wondered why you have not approached me in private as you explained to me months ago that your people urgently needed my counsel? Why have we not stolen away in the night and headed south such as Sinclair's kidnapper did?"

Talina hesitated, considering the question.

"There you are," finished Cain with satisfaction.

The Tomb of Tal Rasha was not all that Horazon had included in his journal, there were descriptions for practices there that made Drognan's stomach turn over. He snapped the book shut and put it out of sight, once the true tomb had been located Drognan planned to commit the book to the flames. There were some things that were better off being not known, and if they were known it was better that they were lost.

He put these thoughts from his mind as he saw Talina, Geldar, Norleche and Barak walking up to him. He smiled and slid a sheet of velum across the table, beneath a large triangle was his translation of the journal entry.

"That is the symbol," the old sorcerer told Geldar before he could ask, "there are instructions on there how to get to the Tomb."

"Seekers of the Tomb of Tal Rasha will find it through the Portal," he looked at Drognan quizzically.

"There's an incantation at the bottom for opening the portal," Drognan supplied.

Geldar went on reading.

"But know that the glowing glyphs that are recorded here in my Arcane Sanctuary are the signs of the six False Tombs. The missing Seventh Sign marks the Tomb of Tal Rasha…Of the Horadrim he might be called the foremost.

"It was a shining, but brief moment for the mage clans when they set aside their differences and worked together against the common enemy.

"The Horadrim relentlessly pursued the Three across the desolate Empire of the East, and even into the uncharted lands of the West, leaving the Archangel Tyrael's hands unblemished.

"Presuming the Three to be vanquished, the Horadrim's unstable fellowship began to dissipate. "Abandoning their sacred charge to safeguard the three Soulstones, the disparate Mage Clans began to squabble amongst each other over petty differences.

"The conflicts not only dissolved their brotherhood, but strengthened the Evils which they had buried beneath the cold earth."

Geldar looked at the others, their faces were set as they considered the enormity of the task before them. If the Wanderer got to the Tomb before they did…

"I must caution you all," Drognan said with a business-like air. "The mark of the True Tomb of Tal Rasha, is sought, if not already known, by Diablo. I needn't elaborate on the implications of that." he paused dramatically before continuing. "Larger forces are moving inexorably towards us. You must now make haste to the tombs."

"I need to speak to Cain," Geldar said, turning away and walking towards the inn with the velum still in his hand.

Talina ran after him. "Wait!" she called.

Geldar did not turn. The Amazon sprang forward and grabbed his arm.

"Geldar," she said breathlessly, "we need to consider this."

"When I came here I did not intend to contend with Terror and Destruction," Geldar explained patiently, "apart or together."

"We may have to, and do we really have a choice?" Talina said. "We can't go anywhere while the port is still in a lockdown."

"I don't want to risk it," Geldar protested.

"What's this I hear?" Barak said, walking up with Norleche. "You are actually _declining_ a fight. I though the Paladins were willing to sacrifice their lives for others."

"My own life, yes," Geldar replied, "but not the life of my nephew. If this ends with my death it also ends with this. And," he nodded to Norleche, "you're not always going to be here to pull me back."

"Geldar, we need you," Talina said fiercely, "we've managed to work together as a unit so far and if it comes to—the worst," she hastily amended, "then we'll have more of a chance, no matter what we face."

"If you should perish, I give my word that I will take up your quest for your nephew," Barak said solemnly.

"And so do I," Talina added.

"And I," Norleche said, though he looked rather doubtful.

"Thank you, that means a great deal," Geldar said, he was touched by such loyalty.

"Well," Norleche said after a long moment of silence, "the first thing is to go back to the Arcane Sanctuary."

Grudgingly, they all compiled.


	37. Chapter XXXIV

**Chapter XXXIV**

Drognan had written out the incantation phonetically, which was quite helpful as Geldar felt sure he couldn't have read the enchantment if it had been spelt correctly. Still, it felt rather daring to be reading it at all as he had been taught all his life and had considered until recently such doings to be nothing short of heresies.

When Geldar had finished reading there was a crash of thunder and a series of lightning bolts, very similar to what had happened when he and Talina had opened the portal to Tristram.

After a few minutes a small orange portal appeared, humming lightly.

"This is it," Geldar said, folding and pocketing the piece of velum. "Who wants to go first?"

He needn't have asked. Before he had finished speaking Talina had jumped through the portal.

Talina emerged on a desert plain lit up by the full moon overhead. Nearby she could see the mound of a waypoint which she activated just as Norleche arrived, followed by Geldar and then Barak before the portal dissolved into nothing.

"Where are we?" Talina asked, looking at the others. "Is this the right place?"

"I believe this is called the Canyon of the Magi," Geldar replied, then started as he heard familiar noises. I think we're about the have company."

The 'company' consisted of a group of gargantuan beasts, their rippling fur shimmered in the moonlight and combined with the blood and flashing of metal. When the last carcass was on the ground, Geldar made his aura brighter so they could get a sense of what was around them.

"It's a big area," Talina observed, even her Inner Sight had its limits. "But full of creatures. Sand panthers, more gargantuan beasts and sand maggots."

"Any thing else?" Geldar asked.

"Beyond that is the tombs," Talina replied, "and there you can count on skeletons, mummies and tomb guardians."

"More fun," Geldar observed dryly.

"How many tombs are there again?" Barak asked, rather nervously actually.

"Seven," Norleche answered, "six false tombs and one true tomb of Tal Rasha. And Tal Rasha's tomb has his symbol on the front." He looked around dubiously. "My guess is that we'll have to find all of them to be sure of getting the right one."

"That does not include clearing them all out?" Geldar queried. "While that is desirable we are running out of time here."

"Time we are wasting standing about talking," Talina snapped, shouldering her javelin and stalking off. "Come on," she urged, disappearing into the darkness.

The skirmishes they faced as they moved across the Canyon of the Magi were far too many for Geldar's liking, though this had much to do with the fact they were in a hurry. They had to find the Tomb before Diablo did at all costs. A million possibilities ran though Geldar's mind as they trudged on, Baal being free inside the Tomb…Diablo and Baal facing off against them…or caught between the two.

Geldar really had no idea what either of them looked like, Cain did not know and neither did Drognan. The only hellspawn he had faced yet was Andariel and with that in mind, furnished further with the pictures of demons and devils he had seen as part of his training in the Temple of the Zakarum, he painted a grotesque picture. Fully knowing that even his wildest imaginings would be far removed from the realities of Terror and Destruction.

When the moon was at its zenith Talina admitted defeat, leaning against one of the rocks and closing her eyes in exhaustion.

"We have been going all day and all night without stop," she said breathlessly, "I know we have to beat the Wanderer to the Tomb, but can't we stop for a few minutes?"

"Even so, we should keep on," Norleche said, "at least one of us should continue scouting."

Geldar vetoed that, if it was daylight it might be different, they could see if anyone was in trouble. If anyone went out alone now, they might not make it back.

"Well two of us then," Norleche suggested, he nodded to Barak. "There are still two more tombs we haven't found and one of them has to be Tal Rasha's. Barak and I can go ahead and return when we've found them."

"Are you sure?" Geldar asked.

"The dark doesn't bother me," Norleche replied with a half-smile.

Barak grinned at them before he and Norleche set off, even in the moonlight it wasn't long before they had vanished completely. Geldar sat on a rock next to Talina, the moon casting shadows over everything.

"Geldar, I'm scared," Talina said quietly.

"What?" This was beyond impossible.

"You heard me," came the quick reply, but her voice turned. "It's those Tomb Guardians, ever since we faced Radament I've been having dreams."

"Dreams are just dreams, Talina," Geldar said, though he knew his words sounded hollow. He had been having bad dreams himself, mainly about Sinclair.

"That's something that can be explained away in the daytime," Talina murmured. "But sometimes, after you wake up after seeing them as plain as day, you can't help but let that fear rise and consume you." There was a long silence. "It sounds so stupid," Talina went on, "of all the things that I had to be scared at it was them. I could have picked Andariel or even that dark cloaked rider you are chasing, those things at leats you can frighten small children with."

"We seldom pick our fears, Talina," Geldar explained, "they choose us. And they control us if we choose to give them that power. That's why explaining them seems so stupid, it exposes our fears for what they really are."

"Is that something that the Zakarum taught you?" Talina asked, her voice as cynical as usual.

"Partly," Geldar admitted, "a lot of it comes from my brother, he seemed to take things so much to heart. To be frank I was very surprised when he denounced the Order."

"Did he say why?" Talina asked.

"He said he wanted to marry," Geldar replied, "us Paladins are normally chaste as opposed to the Zakarum clergy who are not. But I don't think that was the real reason."

"What was the reason then?" she pressed.

"I'll let you know when I find out," Geldar said, then said no more.

A few minutes later Barak and Norleche emerged from the shadows. They looked a bit worse for wear, Norleche's bone armour was splattered with gore and Barak had a cut across one cheek. They smiled and finished each others lines like characters from a comedy.

"We found it," Norleche said.

"It's just up ahead," Barak added.

"We encountered saber cats,"

"And beetles,"

"And not to mention about a dozen sand maggots," Norleche said empathetically. "But we matched the symbol."

"It was outside the tomb," added Barak.

"Lying on the ground," interjected Norleche.

"But it's the one we're looking for," they finished together triumphantly.

Geldar felt as if he and Talina should burst into applause, but they might attract unwanted attention. He merely laughed lightly at the performance and got to his feet. A few minutes later Talina stood up and they followed Norleche and Barak through the darkness.


	38. Chapter XXXV

**Chapter XXXV**

They didn't see the Tomb until they were almost on top of it, Talina looked warily up at the massive structure. She made as if to enter, but hesitated.

"Don't tell me you're scared," Geldar said lightly.

"No," Talina replied, "I am wondering if we should have the Horadric Staff with us. For if this is the right Tomb—"

"It is," Norleche said, he gestured with his foot to a miniature obelisk. Sure enough, inscribed on the side, was Tal Rasha's symbol. "But as for the Staff, are you going to carry it? I cannot, I need both hands to fight."

"As do I," chorused Talina, Barak and Geldar.

"Well, we don't need it straight away, do we?" Barak suggested. "The burial chamber ought to be a fair way in, shouldn't it?"

"Yes," Norleche agreed, "they'd make it that way so not just anyone cane break into the Tomb."

"We're pressed for time," Geldar reminded them, he looked up at the doors. "Do you think anyone has been here? The doors are open, should they be sealed?"

"Well the awakening of Evil in the land could have opened them," Talina mused, "it could be that or…"

"Diablo!" they all said at once, then rushing into the Tomb as fast as they could.

The stairs were narrow and winding and at some points completely crumbling away. Talina didn't want to admit it to the others, but she had a _very_ bad feeling about this place.

When they were almost at the bottom, Norleche—who was in the lead—brought them to a stop.

"We don't know what's down there," he said, "best get ready, we don't want to be surprised."

"What do you sense?" Geldar asked Talina.

"Undead," the Amazon replied after a moment's concentration, "undead…everywhere."

"It figures," Barak said nonchalantly.

"Ready?" Norleche prompted.

One after the other they raced down the stairs, Talina's voice rising to a war cry and the others yelling with her. Once free of the stairs they stood in a line before the stairs, there was nothing there.

"All that for nothing," Barak said with a shrug.

"No," Talina said, she pointed her javelin at a group of shapes whispering towards them. "Wraths, surround them!"

It was a well-worn technique they had started to use in the Arcane Sanctuary where they were found in abundance. Basically it involved taunting the ghostly floating skeletons into a close-range attack before someone—usually Talina or Norleche—closed the gap so they were completely surrounded.

"Cut off their escape, and you have them," Talina said with a smile as she polished her javelin tip with a pumice stone.

"But that doesn't work if you're attacked from behind while you're doing it," Geldar pointed out.

Talina retaliated by hurling a lightning bolt down the full length of the corridor, it came to a stop on a stone door where it faded into the blackness.

"We don't have time to clean this place out," Talina said after the long, stunned silence. "Norleche, can you use your bone again to find out where we need to go?"

"What bone?" Barak asked.

"We used it to find the pieces of the Horadric Staff," Geldar replied. "I didn't really agree with it at first, but it proves to work."

"I am just wondering that I should orient it to," Norleche said, taking the bone from a pocket and placing it on his hand. "I was thinking gold again, but who knows what other loot is in this tomb."

"Loot?" Barak asked, his eyes lighting up.

"We are running out of _time_!" Talina reminded him. "Try a concentration of magic then, that—orifice is it?—Well we need to find it, and find it now!"

"One problem," Geldar said, tapping her on the shoulder. "Them," he pointed to a group of mummies advancing towards them, and at the rear was a Greater Mummy.

Tal Rasha's Tomb was vast, at every corner Talina expected to find the room where they could open the burial chamber, but Norleche told her it was further still. As well as that the twisting corridors were confusing, more than once Norleche's bone pointed to a solid wall and they had to find the long way around.

All the while there was the reminder that they had little time, Diablo was still ahead of them and as time went on Geldar couldn't get the thought out of his mind that they would by the time they arrived it would be too late. And even if they did get there in time, there was the issue on how they would fight the Horadric Mage so they could claim the Soulstone.

"Will he have minions?" Geldar asked Talina as they walked away from the remains of another fight.

"Who?"

"Tal Rasha," Geldar said, "I was wondering if he would have minions, like Andariel."

"Andariel did not have minions," Talina said, "at least not in the sense that Deckard Cain told me. She had just the regular Hellspawn surrounding her. Her minions—or rather handmaidens—we haven't faced and we probably won't."

"What makes you feel so sure?" Geldar asked.

"Andariel's minions are succubi," Norleche said, joining in the conversation, "they look like women, if you like women who have hellish wings, shoot sparks and suck blood." He smiled darkly at Geldar's reaction. "And they happen to _like_ men, a lot."

"I see," Geldar said, "but what makes you so sure that we won't face them?"

"Because there are no more," Talina replied, "not in this world, at least. They were all wiped out in the battle below Tristram. At least that's what I'm told," she added for good measure, "relax, if Tal Rasha did have some sort of minions we'd have been told about a few magi buried with him. But the legend states that he battled Baal's spirit _alone_."

"How come you know much about this all of a sudden?" Norleche asked her.

"I asked Deckard Cain," Talina replied simply.

They found the stairs down to the third level of Tal Rasha's Tomb and fought their way through, nothing but undead but that was to be expected. Several times they stopped, but it was never for very long. Geldar felt himself tiring from the constant exertion, but shrugged off his weariness, he promised himself he would rest later, there were more important things to thing about.

"We're here," Norleche said, he pointed to a door inscribed with symbols, Geldar went forward to inspect them. "No, not that door," he told the Paladin, "the one beyond it. Not even the undead defile Tal Rasha's burial chamber," he turned to Talina. "How many?"

She closed her eyes, her lips moving involuntarily. "Only a few, but there's…" she shuddered and almost fell to the ground with the shock.

"What is it?" Geldar asked, steadying her, he noticed the sweat pouring from her brow.

"I…I don't know," she said with effort, "I sense…a great evil and…"

"And what?" Geldar pressed.

"I don't know," she repeated, opening her eyes and blinking a few times. "One of us needs to go back for the Staff," she said, her voice firm now and her eyes alert.

"Now?" Norleche asked.

"Yes, now," Talina said.

"I can run faster and longer than any of you," Barak said lightly, "I'll run back to the waypoint outside."

"We'll finish the vermin off," Geldar said, and with a smile the Barbarian ran off.

"Here goes nothing," Talina said, she pulled the door open and threw a poison javelin before anyone could move, a green cloud submerged the waiting skeletons and several fell over.

Geldar and Norleche managed to finish the rest off, it wasn't much effort. When they were finished they crowded around the door, Norleche opened it before Geldar could examine the symbols.

"Don't need to," the Necromancer said a smile, he pointed to the platform in the middle of the room. "This is it."

Geldar walked towards it, at the top of a set of steps was the Horadric Orifice. It was, as Cain had described, set within the Circle of Seven Symbols. Geldar looked away and at the walls, turquoise mosaic inlaid with gold stars, but nothing to mark where Tal Rasha's Burial Chamber was. He said as much to Talina, who merely laughed.

"It's like when you don't want your house to be robbed," she said, "the best way to make someone not get in somewhere is to have a door only _you_ know how to use. And better still if you don't make it known where the door is." She waved her hand at the walls. "I guess we somehow have to blow a hole in the wall, but where?"

Norleche didn't say anything, he _knew_ where the Tal Rasha's chamber was and he stared at the spot on the wall, summoning back his strength. It was here, and not just what they came for but the end, the end for him anyway.

"Sorry I took so long," Barak said, he came in with the Horadric Staff under his arm, he held it out to Talina. "Here," he said.

"No, you can put it in," she said in an odd voice, somehow she didn't feel equal to the task.

"I don't want to," Barak said, "Geldar?"

"With all do respect, I don't think I have the right," the Paladin replied. "This is very old magic."

"Norleche?"

The Necromancer shook his head, but didn't turn.

"There's only one thing for it then," Barak moved his hand higher up the staff, close to the headpiece. "We _all_ put it in the orifice."

Geldar smiled, so did Talina. Somehow it was fitting that they should _all_ do it. Norleche turned towards them, but he was not smiling, his face looked long and tragic.

"This is the first Prime Evil we slay together," he said solemnly, "we all know our parts?"

They did, it was something they had gone over many times.

And so, standing on each side of the circle of symbols, and all holding the Staff with one hand, it was slowly lowered into the orifice. The Staff span for a bit within the hole then disappeared with a flash of light and a crash of thunder.

At this instance they all jumped away from the orifice just as the symbols gave out their own individual light. The floor beneath began to rumble and a single bright light was shot from the orifice and into one of the walls. There was an explosion, stone and turquoise burst all over the room before descending to the ground. Then a shudder, and following that silence.

"I think that's our way in," Norleche said finally, a large hole had been left in the wall.

"Could Diablo…" Talina began, but didn't want to finish.

"I don't know," Norleche replied, his face looking skull-like. "It is a good sign that we were the first to break in to the Tomb, but we have to find out." He stepped towards the hole, peering cautiously. "I can't see anything," he said, "it must be further in."

One by one they all followed him through the hole, Talina found herself beating down a feeling of dread. It wasn't because of what they were facing, it was the fact they _didn't know_.

After they had all gone through the tunnel collapsed, the rubble spreading further on the floor outside.


	39. Chapter XXXVI

**Chapter XXXVI**

The tunnel was dank, smelly and—after it collapsed at the other end—unbearably dark. Geldar emitted what light he could through his Thorns aura, but it was precious little.

Finally they came to a vast chamber at the end of the tunnel, there was a doorway at the far end but Geldar stayed where he was until the others were around him. There was no one there, could Diablo have already come and gone?

"Looking for Baal?" leered a voice out of the dark.

If it wasn't for Talina's fast reflexes Geldar would have been killed then and there, she pulled him back just as large and grotesque creature charged at him. Geldar reacted by knocking it out with his shield, while it was stunned he had a proper look at it.

What they faced was tall, taller than even Barak and wider as well. It looked rather like a one of the demons they had faced in the desert—a Dune Beast to be exact—sitting on top of a large beetle. Though to do the…whatever it was justice it didn't look like a Dune Beast, it had mandibles with deadly talons and large hooks on either side of its body.

But no matter what it was or how it got there, Geldar was going to make sure it wasn't around tell the tale. It came to life a moment later and charged again, Barak managed to knock it back even further than Geldar with his double-attack, but they were disorganised.

"We need to surround it," Talina panted, she had a long scratch on her cheek where it had touched her. "Stop it from charging."

But as soon as it did just that the creature struck out with a different attack, one that left Talina reeling and moving as of her limbs had turned to lead. Geldar and Barak distracted it while Norleche helped her.

"Perhaps that's the way," she whispered to him, she picked up one of her spears. "Hey! Ugly!" the creature paused to look at her. "Yes, I'm talking to you!" And with that she threw a lightning bolt directly at the creature's abdomen, it drew blood, it was not much but it was something.

Geldar and Barak took her cue and withdrew, another lightning bolt sent the creature towards Norleche and Talina. The Necromancer quickly cursed it with Amplify Damage, nothing else would have helped, and they tried to confuse it. Running in different directions so it didn't know who to attack

In the momentary distraction Barak and Geldar came on the attack again, this time from the rear with Geldar in support. The Barbarian gave a yell and leaped straight on the creature's back, stabbing it in the back of the neck and causing it to twitch wildly, trying to hit him.

Norleche quickly poisoned it, the dagger find its mark in the creature's chest, but still it fought on. It was wearying, slowly but surely.

After one more attack Barak jumped from its back, making another hit for good measure before retreating. Geldar charged into it with his shield before him, then spinning out beyond the creature's reach.

"Scatter!" Talina said, and they went to different parts of the chamber. The creature stood in the middle, thrashing about but not knowing who to attack. Then on Talina's signal they all attacked at once, the creature yowled horrible as it was stabbed multiple times. They changed back to distraction, then charged again but this time it ended differently.

With one fell swoop the creature knocked back Barak, he fell against the fall, senseless. With a second it flattened both Geldar and Talina then aimed a third blow at Norleche. Yet somehow, Talina never figured out exactly how, the swipe missed and Norleche was still on his feet.

Suddenly he threw away his shield and bone wand, standing before the creature defenceless. It seemed to sense this, and pressed in for the kill.

"NO!" Talina screamed, jumping to her feed and rushing to intercede.

A silvery-blue ball of light was cast from Norleche's fingers, the effort of it showing strain on his face. It erupted against the chest of the creature, it howled with such volume that the stones shook in their foundations. It gave a final, savage stab at Norleche then fell to the ground with a gurgle.

Norleche smiled, then collapsed also. Talina knelt beside him and touched where the creature had wounded him, blood was gushing out at a rapid place.

"There's nothing you can do," Norleche said in a thin voice as Barak and Geldar walked over. "I'm bleeding to death, this is how it is supposed to end."

"Don't be so stupid," Talina said in a rebuking voice, but Norleche only smiled.

"As a Priest of Rathma I know the secrets of death," he replied, "don't you think I would accept my own, when it came?"

Talina didn't say anything, yet Geldar touched his hand.

"Put in a good word for me," the Paladin said, "wherever it is you're going."

"I will," Norleche promised, his eyes glassing over.

Barak didn't say anything, but made some sort of sign with his hand as Norleche closed his eyes. A long silence, that not even wind or movement marred, fell over the room for a moment. Yet when the moment passed Geldar got to his feet.

"We have to get moving," Geldar said.

"What are you talking about?" Talina spat. "Can't you _feel_?"

"Of course," Geldar said, "but he wants us to go on, he accepted his destiny and we have to accept ours. We have to find out what happened here."

"He's right," Barak agreed. "It is hard to admit but life must go on."

"So we just leave him here?" Talina asked, her voice getting slowly controlled.

"I doubt that he saw his body as a little more than an abode," Geldar said solemnly, "an abode he would eventually leave."

Talina allowed herself to be pulled to her feet and followed them past the creature's worm-covered corpse to the doorway.

The doorway led into an antechamber, which led to a vast room that Geldar knew as soon as he stepped in that few mortal eyes had seen it. Before them was a bridge across a river of fire, and beyond that a great stone where the remains of chains still were.

But that was not what was noticeable. In front of the stone stood something that Geldar—nor any of them—had ever seen before. It was a bright figure, yet the light seemed to come from within. It wore armour so resplendent that it was hard to look at, a helmet with the visor up but no face within. But what was the most prominent were the long, silver tendrils that extended from the figures shoulders, they seemed to move with a life of their own. They looked like what in fact they were—wings.

Whoever or whatever this was they were not from this world, and once they crossed the bridge Geldar fell immediately to his knees. At a signal from the figure he rose to stand beside the others.

"I thank you mortals for my freedom, but I did expect you earlier.," he said in a deep, resonating voice. I am the Archangel Tyrael. I came here to prevent Diablo from freeing his brother Baal, the Lord of Destruction." He pronounced his words clearly and solemnly, but then his tone turned sad. "But I have failed. Now, Terror and Destruction roam free throughout your world." Geldar heard Talina gasp, so they _were_ too late! Tyrael continued. "Even now, as they head towards the Eastern capital of Kurast – to the very heart of the Zakarum temple." He seemed to address this remark to Geldar, the Paladin found himself almost reeling. "There, they hope to find their eldest brother, Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred who was imprisoned there ages ago. If the Three Prime Evils unite, they will be invincible." He looked at all of them solemnly, and though his gaze was without eyes it was penetrating. "Though it is unclear as to what their aims are, it is certain that they must be stopped at all costs. I am broken," he admitted, "and the energies that tie me to this world are diminishing rapidly. You three must take up the quest and prevent the Three Brothers from reuniting. You must cross the sea and search for Diablo and Baal in Kurast. Now hurry mortal… Time is running out for all of us!"

He moved a hand and a blue portal appeared from nowhere, then he made a flourish and disappeared in a flash of silver light.

Geldar blinked, wondering if what he had saw had been real, or was it delirium?

"It was real," Talina said in a shaking voice. "By Athulua it was real. The Archangel Tyrael, heard of him?"

"Norleche talked about angels," Geldar said, but concluded sadly. "I didn't believe him. I do now."

"Of course," Barak said, "I guess we are all bound to this now, even you." He finished with a hard look at Talina.

"It seems so," Talina said, still stunned by the encounter. "Do you think this portal takes us outside, or back to town?"

"There's only one way to find out," Geldar said, laughing in spite of himself and stepping through.


	40. Chapter XXXVII

**Chapter XXXVII**

As the day broke, the rosy fingers of dawn crept slowly into the horizon, Drognan stood on the roof of his house studying the last of the stars before they disappeared. The threat had been vanquished, that much was plain but whether it was gone for good would take more time of contemplation.

He hastened to see Jerryn, the young Lord of Lut Gholein was roused and sat in the library with a robe around him as Drognan related the news.

"Are you sure about this?" Jerryn said.

"Nothing is sure until it has already happened," Drognan reminded him, "but I say that the threat in the desert has gone and the city is now safe."

"At long last," Jerryn said, getting to his feet and walking over to the window. The sun had risen now and people were up and about in their business, a normal sight but a welcome one as they were now safe. He turned to the aide standing by the door. "Inform Griez that the danger is passed, and when you have done that send for Meshif." He turned back to Drognan, his face glowing like the sky outside. "I have long hoped for this day."

Drognan didn't want to tell him that the relief might only be temporary. The sorcerer excused himself at the next available opportunity.

The marketplace was abuzz with the news, the danger was gone, and the heroes had been victorious. To some it seemed incredible, but Deckard Cain merely smiled and said nothing. He had known all along that it would be so.

"We'll have a celebration," Atma suggested through her tears.

She and Tallia started to move the trestle tables outside. Geglash, who was sober for once, helped them so Atma could escape inside the Jewel and see what spread they could have.

But at the moment it was more like an informal gathering, people stood in the square swapping rumours. Some even claimed to have heard from the heroes themselves, though this was discounted as particularly dubious.

Meshif was pleased, though more so for different reasons. He would be finally able to sail home to Kurast, Jerryn had finally given him leave to do so.

"May I assume that you will be coming with me?" he asked Deckard Cain.

"I imagine so," the Horadric Sage replied, "though it depends on what the real news is compared to what we have here."

A group of children sprinted through the square, laughing and smiling. One of them walked up to Cain, a dark-skinned girl with wide brown eyes.

"We're going to meet them," she said solemnly, "will they be coming in at the gate?"

"No," Cain said, he started to walk with the children, "I'll show you."

When Talina, Geldar and Barak emerged from the waypoint in the middle of the city, they found themselves in the centre of a large crowd. Someone called out for three cheers and they were escorted en masse to the city square. But something was wrong.

"Where is Norleche?" Cain asked in a low voice.

"He is dead," Talina replied quietly.

A hush fell through the crowd, there was something else she had to tell.

"Baal wasn't there," she said though the silence, "we fought this—thing—and the Archangel Tyrael told us we were too late."

There was another silence, then whispering amongst the people.

"But that is our problem," Geldar said in a loud voice so everyone could hear, "Baal and Diablo might have escaped, but they are no longer a threat to you."

It was at this inauspicious moment that Jerryn arrived, only with a light guard and he approached them.

"You have done very well," he said with a smile. "Few could have come this far, let alone discover the True Tomb of Tal Rasha. If you wish to travel east, I have authorised Meshif to give you passage by sea. I imagine he would be very anxious to leave by now. Good luck on your quest, and thank you all for saving my beloved city. You will always be welcome in Lut Gholein, my friends. And this," he gestured to a page carrying a rather heavy chest. "Is a small token of my esteem."

Talina felt as if she would faint when the page opened the chest to reveal the wealth within. She wanted to run it through her fingers, the gold, the jewels, the pearls. But Geldar held her back.

"With all do respect my lord, we have little use for such wealth," the Paladin said in an even voice.

"But what are you—" Talina protested.

"Talina, Geldar has a point," Barak said, "this could very well end up in the hands of pirates rather than put to any good use."

"But what you have done for my city deserves more reward than I can give," Jerryn replied.

"Then perhaps," Geldar suggested, "you could gift us with something we can use. That would be more beneficial and welcomed by us."

"Of course," Jerryn said, he gave instructions to the page and then excused himself to greet his people.

Atma escorted them to what she called the High Table, she left quickly then returned with drinks.

"This is all on the house tonight, the least I can do," she said with a rare smile, "You have proven to be the greatest of heroes, and I am honoured to call you my friends. Thank you for bringing peace to our lives again."

It was like holding court, everyone came up to them to say thanks or express condolences about Norleche's lost. When Atma and Tallia started handing around the first of the food, Deckard Cain drew them aside in a whisper.

"The only reason we are staying her longer is that Meshif needs time to ready the ship and he wants to go with the tides," he said. "The Archangel Tyrael was the one who gave the soulstones to the Horadrim two hundred and sixty years ago."

"He actually helped us?" Barak asked. "Is this normally done?"

"It is highly unusual for the forces of Heaven to so directly intervene with man's destiny," Cain but Tyrael was said to act of his own volition. We have never been able to discern why. Perhaps," Cain suggested, "he goes against the consensus of Heaven because he doubts our ability to defend ourselves, or perhaps, he sees more threat than his peers. Where the actions of Hell often seem straightforwardly bent on destruction," he said, "the motives of Heaven are unfathomable." He was silent for a moment, then added in a more serious tone. "Both Diablo and Baal must be stopped before they join with their brother, Mephisto. If the three Prime Evils unite again, the world as we know it will be no more."

"What about that creature we faced?" Talina asked between mouthfuls. "Can you tell us anything about that?"

"Describe it," Cain said, Geldar did the best he could and Cain thought for a long time afterwards. "It sounds like one of the Lesser Evils, the Prince of Pain whom mortals call Duriel. This does not bode well for us at all."

"A Lesser Evil like Andariel?" Geldar asked.

"Yes," Cain replied, "Diablo must have Hell untied behind him in order to have Duriel on his side."

When the meal was done and the square was being cleared for games and dancing, Geldar excused himself and took a walk to see Drognan. The old sorcerer was sitting outside his house examining a scroll, after they exchanged greetings Geldar related what Cain had said.

"This is a serious setback," he said when Geldar had finished. "It is most unfortunate that Tal Rasha has been consumed by Baal's destructive influence. There are many secrets known to the Horadrim which can be used by Baal against us."

"Perhaps if we had arrived there sooner…" Geldar said but Drognan cut him off with a gesture.

"It is not for us to discern the whys and wherefore of what has come to pass," he said dismissively. "But this much is clear. You must travel East by sea to Kurast and stop Diablo and Baal before they free their eldest brother, Mephisto. Hahh, " he smiled dryly at Geldar, "the lands of the eastern Empire are not the same as they used to be. There has been little word for some time."

"I have heard as much more than once," Geldar said, "but I am not sure what to believe."

"No matter, you will soon be there," Drognan said lightly. "Speed is of the essence. Go quickly, my friend. May the fates smile on you."

Geldar left the old sorcerer to his work and wandered aimlessly through the city, the sun was getting high and the day was growing hot. Somehow, he ran into Warriv who was readying his caravan.

"Well aren't you a stranger," the merchant said with a smile, "I was just getting ready to leave for the West tomorrow, but I have heard something interesting about all of you."

Geldar told him what had happened, including Norleche's death. Warriv rubbed his beard meditatively.

"It is a sad loss, but from what you say he died a hero," the merchant concluded.

"I don't think he even wanted to be thought of like that," Geldar said uncertainly.

"No matter, what's done is done," Warriv said, rubbing his hand together. "As for you, you did the best you could. I suspect Diablo and Baal are heading east, towards Kurast. You'll find them…I

know you will."

"I wish I could take your faith with me," Geldar said, he turned to see Talina walking towards him.

For a moment he didn't recognise her, she was wearing a loose, linen dress with elaborate embroidery and her fair hair flowed around her shoulders.

"Don't look at me like that," she rebuked.

"Why not?" Geldar asked, it was the first time he had seen her as such. Even for the rogues' feast back in Khanduras she had worn her armour.

"I've been sent to find you," Talina said, ignoring the question. "Meshif is getting ready, we're getting our belongings together."

"So soon?" Geldar asked.

"He wants to go with the tide," the Amazon replied, as if suck a thing was obvious,"and it's going out soon."


	41. Chapter XXXVIII

**Chapter XXXVIII**

The moon was at its highest when a large crowd gathered to see Meshif's ship off even though the hour was very late. With Talina, Barak, Geldar as well as Jonash and Skera—a cabin boy and first mate Meshif had hired for the journey—the ship, a small but sturdy vessel named the _Tirurel's Lady_, was loaded and watered for the trip.

Jerryn made an aspiring speech, Elzix gave wild war whoops, girls were crying, calling out to Barak and adorning the heroes with garlands of desert flowers.

Finally they were away, the lights of Lut Gholein behind them, and before them the never ending expanse of the Twin Seas.

Yet rather than look ahead, Talina was looking south, standing on the starboard side of the ship and looking out as far as she could. She looked rather sad.

"What are you doing?" Geldar asked, standing next to her.

She started at his words, then let a mask drop over her emotions.

"This is where I should be going," she murmured. "South, along the Twin Seas rather than across. I though I would be going home tonight."

"How long has it been since you have been home?" Geldar asked.

"Two months," Talina replied.

"Well we are going to my home," Geldar told her, "and I haven't been there for close to three years now."

"Three years?" Talina asked. "You were _that_ long in the West?"

"Yes," the Paladin answered, "the last time I crossed this sea I thought I would be back in a matter of months. Yet something happened to delay my stay."

"What?"

"My brother died," Geldar replied. "I'll tell you the whole story. I was with a few other Paladins, including my old mentor Pentheus. We had come to Aranoch—not here but further south—as we had heard about the Evil that had risen beneath Tristram." Geldar looked out to sea, it was as if he had forgotten that Talina was there at all. "We were crossing the desert when we met another caravan, they gave the news that Diablo had been defeated and my brother was dead. I continued West, but I was the only one."

"How did you find Sinclair?" Talina asked.

"I asked around," Geldar told her. "Apparently my brother Lemnar had left him behind at the inn they were staying at and when he didn't return Sinclair tried to contact the Zakarum. I found him at an abandoned Zakarum chapel, the clues led me there."

"And now he's gone," Talina said, glancing at Geldar to see how he would react, she then continued, "and this is the journey you would have made together."

"Yes," Geldar agreed, thoughtful for a moment. "But I will find him," he said solemnly. "I gave Lemnar my word that I would look after him if anything happened. I failed him."

"No, you haven't," Talina said severely, putting her hand on Geldar's arm. "Listen, you are going to continue to search for him, to right what has happened and that is not failure."

"What is it then?" His eyes were on her, Talina found herself faltering under his gaze.

"That's called loyalty," she said stoutly, "it's also called honour."

"Mmm," Geldar didn't say anything more, deep in thought.

"What are you two doing?"

Talina and Geldar turned around to see Barak, grinning at them.

"Nothing," they chorused.

"Oh, I see," the Barbarian said, looking from one to the other suspiciously.

"Lovely night," said Meshif, walking up with Cain.

Geldar couldn't help but smile, the little he had seen of Meshif back in Lut Gholein compared was a dramatic change to the way he was acting now. Back in Aranoch he had been polite, but distracted, here he was in his element in more ways than one.

"We have a shortage of room," Meshif said with a sly grin, "but a problem that can be fixed easy if any of you are willing to bunk out here."

"I am," Geldar said with spirit, and to his surprise Barak volunteered also.

"I am not expecting you to volunteer," Meshif said politely to Cain.

"Your intentions are well me, friend," Cain replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"There's three cabins forward, including mine which you can have," Meshif said to Talina, "and Jonash and Skera are taking the other."

"Well if you don't mind," Talina said, stifling a yawn, "I'll be turning in."

When the others had left, including Meshif to settle a few details with Skera, Barak cornered Geldar.

"So what were you talking about?" they were lying side by side, examining the multitude of stars above.

"She wants to go home," Geldar replied, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Don't we all," Barak said, stretching his arms back. "But this is big now, bigger than all of us."

"I was there as well as you," Geldar murmured, "but I had another purpose beforehand." He propped himself up on one elbow. "Do you think we'll be seeing through this to the end?"

"The end?" Barak asked. "You mean facing the Three?"

Geldar nodded.

"I don't know," Barak admitted, "we may. But my hope is that it doesn't happen all at once."

Geldar spread his cloak over him and was asleep within minutes.


	42. Act III

**Act III**

In his High Hall in the northernmost part of Kurast, Lord Arkon, Liege of Kehjistan sat somewhat uneasily among his councillors as he explained a precarious matter to them. Foremost among them was Ormus, a priest of the old Skatsim religion and a man of renowned wisdom. Next to him was Hratli, known for his mastery of metallurgy and alchemy, his tongue and wit was as sharp as his craft. Last of all was Kamrin, who was neither a scholar or mage but his personal bodyguard and military adviser. Kamrin was also a close friend of Arkon which made his advice all the more beneficial.

"You must understand that no whisper of this can get out," Arkon concluded, eyeing each of the men in turn. "Least of all to Sankekur himself, the last thing we need is another inquisition."

"Will the Que-Hegan take this sort of threat seriously if he hears of it?" Kamrin asked.

"More seriously that necessary, I am afraid," Hratli observed. "Never underestimate the mind of a madman and our dear Sankekur has clearly left his wits elsewhere."

"Nonetheless," Arkon interjected, "I want all of you to give me your word that you will never speak of this to anyone, it is too dangerous at this stage for the plan to be set in motion."

"You need not doubt my silence, my lord," Hratli replied promptly.

"And you have my word that I will speak nothing of this," Ormus added.

Arkon nodded, he knew he would get their word regardless but it was a different matter with Kamrin. Despite the fact that they were friends and Kamrin owed him service, his Captain of the Guards was also loyal to his men. Fiercely loyal.

"My lord," Kamrin began somewhat uneasily, "you need not ask for me to swear allegiance, but shall I be held responsible for saying what I cannot control?" He nodded to the magi. "While I do have strength in arms, I lack to capacity to resist what I know Sankekur and his brood are capable of. And," he added, nodding respectfully to Arkon. "I would not have it upon my honour to break my word when it is not of my own doing."

"Very well then," Arkon replied with a nod. "I have no doubt as to your loyalty, Kamrin, while it is within your capacity for you to have it."

"Thank you, my lord," Kamrin said with a slight bow.

In the distance a bell went and one of Arkon's attendants walked into the room.

"My lord, the emissaries from Aranoch are here," the attendant said.

"Very well, send them in," Arkon said with a nod, he turned back to those in the room. "Thank you for your cooperation my friends, I only hope that we do not have to put our plan into action."

"Let us all hope that," Kamrin said, bowing then leaving with the others.

"In seven nights hence, the moon will be right for our rise," said Bremm, fingering the heavy gold bracelet that indicated his status on the Zakarum High Council.

"But why do we wait?" asked Toorc, his blue robe suspiciously stained dark red in places. "Surely the Liege must have caught wind of our actions? If we wait longer—"

It was into this dialogue of dissent that Sankekur, Que-Hegan of the Zakarum entered. The seven council members got to their feet as he walked to his seat at the base of the circle. When he was seated the others followed suit, respectfully lowering their gaze.

"Why do I find myself in the company of cowards?" Sankekur asked, staring at each of them in turn. "I know not why I do not just dispense with you all. There are many among our brethren who would fill those seats you occupy. Toorc!" The man go to his feet as was summoned, staring at the floor as Sankekur examined him. "Why do you have cause to doubt my will or the will of our lord?"

"No cause, Great One," he stammered respectfully.

"Then best you be silent," the Que-Hegan snapped, dismissing the nervous cleric and signalling to one of his attendants. "Let this be a lesson to all of you, if there were any murmurings of treason within our ranks there shall be no mercy. I trust you all will have enough faith to comply with this?"

"Of course, Great One," the council members replied in unison.

"Very well then." Sankekur took a tall goblet of red liquid from the slave girl and sipped it. She had an emaciated, wasted look apart from the scratches on her cheeks. Yet she was totally obedient, sitting at his feet ready to do his bidding. She would slit her own throat if he commanded it. He nodded to Ismail, another council member. "What news of the West? Have they seen the True Way?"

"No news of that, Great One," Ismail replied meekly, "though some say that Diablo, the Lord of Terror has been slain."

Sankekur choked on his drink, red liquid seeping out of his mouth and staining his white robe. He hesitated for a moment, then hurled the goblet at Ismail. The liquid spraying all over the floor and the spun glass shattering as it missed him.

"This is a lie!" the Que-Hegan spat as his slaves went on their knees to clean up the mess. "Leave it!" He shouted, getting up from his seat and grabbing Ismail up by his beard. "Retract your insult, scum!" He ordered. "What you say cannot possibly be true."

"Great One…" Ismail started to choke under the Que-Hegan's grip, "I saw no reason to question the news…"

"You are a liar and a fool!" barked Sankekur, striking Ismail across the face and throwing him to the ground. "Get up, filth or you'll regret your first drawn breath."

Reluctantly, Ismail got to his feet, watching the Que-Hegan with a feverish glance. Sankekur paid him no more heed and went back to his seat, ignoring the sensation he had caused.

It was at this inopportune moment that there came a knock at the Council Chamber's doors.

"Who disturbs the workings of the Zakarum Council?" thundered Sankekur.

"It is I, Limrok your personal guard," came the answer. "I have brought news of the treachery with the Liege, Great One."

"Treachery?" The word was repeated among the seated council members.

"You may enter," Sankekur ordered and the door opened.

Limrok, a dark-skinned full-bodied man entered with two of his guards in tow, between them was the beaten and bloodied form of Kamrin. He was pale, somewhat dazed but conscious. The two guards threw him unceremoniously before the Que-Hegan.

"How came you word of this, Paladin Limrok?" Sankekur asked.

"I knew Kamrin was the loose link with the Liege, Great One," Limrok said, his deep voice echoing in the stone chamber. "Being with his own personal attachments to Lord Arkon."

"You speak of more than one attachment?" the Que-Hegan queried.

"I do," nodded the Paladin, "aside from having the friendship of the Liege, he is secretly engaged to Lord Arkon's daughter Antienne."

"I see." The Que-Hegan rested a reddened hand on his chin leaving a stain. He reached for his staff from one of his attendants, bringing the tip under Kamrin's chin. "And what is this treachery you speak of? I will hear it from himself."

"I will tell you nothing!" retorted Kamrin. "Taunt me all you like, you tainted demon but you'll get nothing out of me."

"Perhaps we should resort to some…alternate forms of persuasion," Sankekur mused. He looked at Limrok. "Fetch the Liege's daughter, perhaps by seeing his beloved threatened he will tell us or Lord Arkon's plans."

"No!" Kamrin moaned. "Don't you touch her! Don't you _dare_!"

"I'll see to it, Great One," Limrok said with a bow.

"See to it also that this man is secured," Sankekur said dismissively. "I'll not have him disturb me any longer."

When Limrok and his men left the room Sankekur stared into space, the council meeting would continue when he felt like it.

"What do you think Larena?"

Antienne walked form her dressing room wearing the silken gown she had woven herself. It was a pure white in colour, barely covering her chest and inlaid with Skatsimi fertility symbols she had embroidered.

Her lady in waiting Larena only smiled, sooner or later the word would get out that her mistress was marrying Kamrin, Lord Arkon's military adviser. While her father had been opposed to the match at first given that Kamrin lacked both a solid name and lineage, he had relented when he noticed how devoted Kamrin was to her. They would make a fine pair, Larena mused, and the people would no doubt choose Kamrin to succeed after Lord Arkon was laid to rest.

"You look well enough," Larena finally said, she knew better than to overly compliment. What a person did counted in her mind and in that regard she would give praise as freely as she felt it deserved. But if her Highness was seeking compliments in regards to her beauty, she would have to get them from someone else.

Antienne only laughed, tossing back a long strand of black hair that stuck to her face. In the process she smudged her rouge.

"There, didn't I tell you not to fuss?" Larena scolded, wiping the smear away and tidying Antienne's hair. "Settle down now, your father will be here soon."

"I am very surprised though he didn't ask a Zakarum priest to officiate," the princess said, but she sat down obediently.

"Word has it that matters are strained between the Que-Hegan and Lord Arkon," Larena reminded her. "Soon enough you'll get one of those prophets of gloom and doom telling you how to run your marriage. What side of the bed to sleep on, how many children you have…they love to interfere."

Antienne regarded the older woman seriously. "You know, Larena, it's attitudes like that which have made the Zakarum lower in regard. Some of them I found to be quite tolerant and generous in their attitudes."

"Yet for everyone that's like that there's three more spouting the fire and brimstone of the Burning Hells," Larena reminded her. "Nothing has been the same since that Sankekur took over, that's what I've heard anyway. As to how he became Que-Hegan, well…" she paused, arching an eyebrow at her charge, "I can only hope the rumours aren't true."

"They're only rumours spouted by Sankekur's detractors," replied Antienne. "Larena, if you're going to continue talking I would rather be left alone. you can tell me when father arrives to take me down."

"Fine." Larena put down the floral wreath she was about to put on Antienne's head. "I'll leave you be, if you promise to stay where you are."

"I'm not like my mother, Larena," Antienne laughed, "I love Kamrin and I'm going to marry him."

"Right you," Larena murmured, then left as she was bid.

With a sigh Antienne placed the wreath on her head and went over to the mirror on the wall. She smiled as she turned it, trying to find the best angle. Yet a rustle in the garden outside made her turn.

"What the—" Instantly a hand was clapped over her mouth and a dagger was at her throat.

"Don't make a sound," breathed a harsh voice. "Steady now, you're coming with me." Antienne tried to fight his grip but the dagger pressed closer, nicking her skin. "I meant to take you alive, but if you struggle…"

Several more secured Antienne and hoisted her out the window and out of the palace. Where she had stood was the floral wreath, evidentially as forgotten as the impending wedding.

"No sign of any flight?" Arkon asked.

"None at all, my lord," the attendant replied. "His horse is still in the stable and all at his house say that he meant to be gone only for a moment. Why his manservant even had the clothes laid out for the wedding!"

"This bodes no well," Arkon murmured. "See that my daughter is not told."

But before the attendant could respond a very distraught Larena burst into the room unannounced. She fell to her knees before Arkon, sobbing uncontrollably. Arkon gently helped her up.

"Come now, what's wrong?" he asked, helping the woman to a chair and signalling for some wine.

"It's not my fault, my lord, I swear by all that's holy!" Larena moaned.

"What are you talking about?" Arkon demanded. "Answer me clearly!"

"It's your daughter!" she burst out, tears running down her face. "I went to her chamber and she wasn't there!"

"Oh, that is nothing to fear of," Arkon said lightly. "I just heard that we cannot find Kamrin, no doubt the two lovers are somewhere laughing at us."

"It is not like that, my lord," Larena said in a choked voice, "clearly she has been taken, I saw tracks in the garden and some of the guards have seen something very odd."

"Wait one moment!" Arkon started and held his hands up. "Kamrin is missing, so is Antienne so that can mean…" He shook his head, putting it down between his hands. "The Zakarum have them, I never thought they would move so soon!"

"Please, I beg you, don't do this to me!" Antienne pleaded as her hands were bound against the wall. She looked at the beaten, shackled form of Kamrin. "Don't tell them, Kamrin. My father has faith in your loyalty. Please!"

"I may have no control if they start tormenting you!" Kamrin told her, and it was true. If they hurt her he was no longer responsible for his own actions. He loved her too much.

Between the two lovers Sankekur watched with a sly grin, Kamrin would come round in time and he could only hope it wouldn't take too much effort on the girl's part. He had plans for her later and still intended to see them through.

"You may begin," he nodded to the jailor.

The jailor, a squat man covered in sweat brought a red-hot poker from the fire and advanced towards Antienne.

"He will stop when you tell him to," Sankekur told Kamrin coolly.

Kamrin watched Antienne's face as the jailor approached her, he noticed the sweat building on her brow, the way she started to breathe rapidly and twist as the beam of iron neared her. She closed her eyes, preparing to meet the iron's burning kiss, a soft moan escaped her…

"No!" he screamed, straining the irons that held him. "Stop! Don't hurt her! I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything!"

"Then tell everything," Sankekur said.

"Lord Arkon is planning to overthrow you," Kamrin told the Que-Hegan. "He has spies among your order who are still loyal to Khalim. His supporters from Lord Jerryn Lut Gholein have just arrived and he intends to re-institute the Old Ways."

"Are any of my Council in on this?" Sankekur asked, his eyes gleaming red.

"No," Kamrin said, "Just a small number of priests and paladins."

"Is that all you have to say?" Sankekur asked.

"There is no more to tell or I would," Kamrin told him.

"Good." Sankekur turned to the jailor. "Kill him."

"No!" Antienne shrieked, struggling at the bonds that held her.

"Alert the Council," Sankekur said to an aide as he strode out of the room. "The rite must be now, there will be no more delays. Get the girl."

"Yes Great One," assented the aide.

Sankekur could only smile as he walked, at last they could reveal themselves for the power they had truly become.

"How many men do you have?" Arkon asked Lorian, Kamrin's second in command.

"Not as many as I once had, my lord," Lorian replied regretfully. "Many have deserted as their first loyalty was—"

"—to the Zakarum," Arkon finished, cursing himself for not acting earlier. "It appears that the Church of Light can no longer be trusted, we must move against it now."

"But my lord!" Lorian objected. "This move suggests—"

"Treason?" Arkon regarded the man with contempt. "Listen to me, my daughter has been stolen by those who I now consider no better than hellspawn! I am not going to be idle!"

"I am not suggesting anything of the like," Lorian said. "But by doing this the Zakarum have the right to act against us."

"They already have," Arkon thundered. "Gather your men, and anyone else you have. We march on Travincal before the hour is done."

"Why are you doing this?" Antienne asked Sankekur. He hair was tangled and matted, her gown was torn and she was covered in scratches from the mishandling of the jailor. Her hands were tied and being led to an ornate platform where Sankekur was waiting.

"Surely you Zakarum are against this murder?" Antienne continued. "I thought your order was of peace, of justice and light."

"We were blinded," Sankekur told her, "until our true way was revealed and our true master."

"Akarat?" Sankekur shook his head.

"No, that was what that blind fool Khalim believed," the Que-Hegan spat, removing his white robe so that all he wore was a loincloth. "He believed it till the end, the swine! Even as I was cutting his throat."

"So it's true," Antienne said, her eyes narrowing. "You did murder him, I didn't believe it till now. I though there was still good in you."

"Your words mean nothing," Sankekur spat. He nodded to the Council members gathered around them. "Prepare her."

The remnants Antienne's dress were torn off her as she was bound to the altar opposite Sankekur. She fought them, clawing their touches and trying to break free.

"You won't have me as you have had Kamrin!" she declared.

"Quite right," Sankekur said, "your fate shall be very, very different."

From a niche in the altar he took a bright blue pointed stone. It seemed to move in his hands, throbbing and humming of its own accord as Sankekur held it aloft.

"Begin the rite!" he ordered, Ismail took out a knife and slit Antienne's wrists until the blood flowed freely. As she screamed Toorc gagged her then they took their places among the other Council Members, slowly chanting the incantations.

"I have prepared for you the way which you may enter!" pronounced Sankekur, holding the stone between himself and the struggling Antienne. "May you be pleased with the sacrifice, this worthy offering to our true master, the Lord of Hatred…Mephisto!"

Again, Sankekur's eyes glowed and eerie red and the stone began to emit blue light. The light started to fill the room, even blocking out the glow of the torches and cauldrons surrounding them.

From afar, Arkon watched the rite, he had managed to fight his way through the temple thus far, but when he saw his daughter bound as if for a sacrifice he stopped short. How could he kill Sankekur without harming her?

"Get your archers," he whispered to Lorian. "Have them trained on the Que-Hegan."

"But they won't dare, my lord," Lorian replied. "It's sacrilege to draw a weapon on sacred ground."

"Are you going to obey me?" Arkon threatened.

Lorian didn't argue, he issued the order despite his misgivings.

At his command Ismail and Toorc bound Sankekur to the altar as Maffer held the stone aloft. By this time Antienne had almost collapsed from the loss of blood, she slumped wearily.

"He honours us!" boomed Sankekur. "He will take a form among the mortal plane!"

Maffer stared at the stone as he lowered it from its upheld position, he then angled the pointed end towards the Que-Hegan's bared chest.

"This is the form he wishes to take," whispered Sankekur. "This is the vessel in which he wishes to abide."

At this Maffer dove the stone into Sankekur's chest. Sankekur gave out a single, shrill cry before collapsing as Antienne had done. Blood flowed out of his mouth as his twisted in agony.

"We have a clear shot at him," Lorian told Arkon.

"Wait!" Two of the council members were still dangerously close to Antienne, he didn't want to make any movement that could jeopardise her. Even with Sankekur dead.

But was he? That stab in the chest would have killed anyone, yet the blue glow from the stone began to fill his body which still continued to move. Was it his imagination or was Sankekur's skin reddening? Was his face changing? And why was he continually moaning like a creature from the Burning Hells?

Finally, Sankekur stopped moving and Arkon was relieved. This meant he could act, despite what rite they called it dead was dead in his mind. The council gathered around him, the blue robes forming a circle among the fallen Que-Hegan. Unbinding him, helping him to his feet.

"Take your men," Arkon whispered, "leave this cursed place."

"What?" Lorian looked at the Liege in askance.

"You heard me." Arkon drew his sword. "I don't know what this is, but it's not going to stop here. It's going to spread until it's all through the city. Get everyone out."

"Yes, my lord," Lorian replied, calling to his men and walking upstairs.

Arkon quietly approached the altar through the shadows, hoping he could be in time.

Antienne opened her eyes, stunned to see the council members gathered around Sankekur. Had something gone wrong? Did this mean he was dead?

"Away with you!" said a rasping voice that made Antienne shiver.

When the council members dispersed Antienne let out an involuntary scream at what was before her. Instead of Sankekur, the crazed Que-Hegan of the Zakarum was…something out of a nightmare.

It was a demon, Antienne knew that much but it was almost impossible to describe as it stood—no, _floated_—in front of her. It had no legs, nothing but the tattered remains of the loincloth that Sankekur had worn. Instead of arms there were four long, bony tentacles like that of a swamp beast. And worse of all was the face which Antienne could hardly bring herself to look at. Halfway between a demon and a skull and crowned with two horns, its red eyes gleamed viciously at her.

"We honour you, Mephisto, Lord of Hatred," Ismail said, coming before the demon and falling to his knees.

"Your actions shall be rewarded," Mephisto said, snaking a tentacle towards the council member. "Embrace your new forms."

Ismail stared at his hands as they started to atrophy and disfigure, spined grew along the back of one of his arms and he could feel his skin harden along his back. At the crown of his head he could feel the single horn. But instead of reacting in shock he smiled, Sankekur had promised them power by serving Mephisto and now power he had.

Power they _all_ had, all of the council members had changed as he was. Staring at each other, remarking at their new disfigurements.

"But the girl, my lord?" Ismail croaked, surprised to hear his changed voice.

"She is mine," Mephisto said, lashing out a tentacle and grabbing Antienne.

"No you don't!" Antienne screamed as she was held high in the air.

"Unhand her!"

The gathering looked to see who had come, it was Arkon with his drawn sword.

"You shall not have her," he said, walking towards the demon.

"You're wrong," Mephisto said, "I shall have her, and you. I shall have you all."

And snaking out another tentacle, he grabbed Arkon.


End file.
